


Change of Pace

by Nimaka



Category: Naruto
Genre: Cat Gai, Cat Lee, Cat Naruto, Cat Sakura, Cat Sasuke, Catkashi, Cats, Cattebayo, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Meowbito, Nightmares, i ship this a lot, madara makes friends, they're good cats, with the cats
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2019-11-01 13:01:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 52,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17867753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nimaka/pseuds/Nimaka
Summary: Madara finds a bundle of kittens in the snow. They looked so pitiful, he couldn't just leave them there...





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madara, meet the kitties.

Snowflakes gently fell from the cloudy sky to the ground, piling up higher and higher with no end in sight. It made for a pretty picture, sheets of white on newly constructed buildings, but the cold was unbearable. They were in the Land of Fire for god's sake!

He sneezed.

His hair was wet from melted snow and clung to his face like a wet blanket. Out of everything in this world, wet hair is the bane of his existence. Glowering, Madara took some joy in sending a glare at anyone who made eye contact with him. His mood wasn't great, feeling the looks of mistrust on his back while he made his way back to his home. Each glance felt like a kunai in his back. While each hit didn't do much damage to a shinobi of his strength, they were irritating as hell. Enough was enough, and he wanted some semblance of peace. He took a turn into the less developed area of the village.

The sounds of the village soon faded out until only the crunch of his shoes on snow remained. He exhaled, feeling some relief in solitude.

He let his thoughts drift away for a brief moment, away from the freezing weather, away from the ire of the villagers, away from his duties as clan head, away from everything. He thought of warmth, of bright leaves rather than barren branches, of a bright smile and loving laughter in dark eyes and tan skin and- He stopped, blaming his odd behavior on the snow. Uchihas do not mix well with cold weather, after all. They are the clan of fire, of hot, burning might.

A soft grunt came from around a corner. Madara blinked, standing in an area of the village he was less acquainted with. The sound was small, pathetic, and he didn't pay it much mind. It was probably nothing and a warm blanket sounded great at the moment. But it sounded again, and again, and again. Intrigued, Madara tracked it down to a pile of cloth, a small bundle within the blankets wriggling weakly. One hand on a kunai, he lifted a section of the material to reveal a pair of deep blue eyes staring into his own. It was a cat. A small, pathetic thing with orange patterns zigzagging across its back. But that wasn't all. Two more of the furry things popped their heads out of the cloth, blinking weakly. One of them, with sea green eyes, mewed almost inaudibly while the other, a midnight black cat, stared unblinkingly at him.

This was the cause of the sound.  
He berated himself for getting so paranoid over a couple of cats, putting the kunai away and walking away. Another soft meow followed after him, and a thought hit him unexpectedly hard.

Izuna always did have a soft spot for these animals. When the stray cat he always gave a portion of his meals to was found lying dead one morning,  back when they were still young, he was inconsolable. Regardless, he couldn't take these things in. The following meow was faint. In this cold and this snow, they wouldn't last long. Madara paused.

A final shaky meow was heard. Then silence. Madara thought of a motionless feline and his brother's tears. He turned around.

He was only doing this because of the weather. Really.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I get a fact wrong or something feel free to correct me! I actually didn't finish Naruto so if something's off that's probably why.  
> I don't know when but I really got into this ship at some point. I hope I do them justice because they are perfect for each other and I actually like Madara. Also, this is my first time writing a romance or these characters so if you have any tips I'd really appreciate it! ♥


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cats are friends for life, nyattebayo!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit 40+ kudos I'm screaming :0 Thank you so much for reading! :DDD

He stared at the cats that now cuddled together in a bundle by his feet. Three pairs of eyes stared back at him, blue, green, and black.

Naruto, he named the runt of the trio, was the excitable orange tabby with folded ears and blue eyes that stared into Madara's with an expression that he just knew meant trouble in the future. The kitten wriggled up to his friends in their shared blanket. A fluffy black feline with an attitude let out a huff at his friend's antics. His big black ears were perked up and a sudden urge hit Madara. He sensed around him to make sure there was absolutely no chance of anyone being nearby, before he crouched down and scratched behind that one furry ear that made Sasuke purr quietly.

No one could ever know.

The third cat was a sleek grey with emeralds for eyes. Sakura was the median of the two, seeming to keep them in line with just a glance.

The three seemed to share some kind of conversation with just looks before they turned to him with meows that said 'Feed us, human.'

Good grief. 

* * *

 

"Naruto..." Madara warned with a stare.

Naruto gave him a foxy stare right back. His paw rested on a cup that sat dangerously close to the edge of the kitchen table. His tail swished playfully, but Madara knew the threat was no joke. Blue feline eyes narrowed as if to say 'Try me.'

Oh, Madara had tried him before, but somehow the cat always managed to knock over and shatter the glass before he could reach it or even catch it from the air. Madara was an almost godlike ninja, and yet this cat was somehow always able to be a hair faster than him! This time, Madara wouldn't lose. His sharingan sprang to life, tomoe swirling angrily in a glare that sent grown men running, but the cat lazily glared right back at him.

The nerve!

Naruto's paw remained unmoving on the glass. They had reached a stalemate that Madara knew from experience could last an eternity.

From outside of the clan leader's house, one could hear silence, followed by the shattering of glass and a string of curses, and observe as a black cat on the veranda made a yawn suspiciously like a laugh and a grey cat cuddled closer to her fellow feline.

* * *

 

Sakura always did seem to have a hidden strength about her. Naruto was always the first to scurry away whenever he or Sasuke did something to anger her and Sasuke would follow him soon after. The Uchiha head's home would proceed to be filled with yowls and hisses followed by a thump and a cowering Naruto and Sasuke.

Perhaps, Naruto was more sensitive to chakra?

Madara would always feel a small flare build up before Sakura lashed out. He pictured making use of that, but the thought of a bloody orange tabby panting its last breaths, cradled in trembling arms made him quickly forget the idea as soon as it sprung.

* * *

  
Blood. Dripping from his gunbai, his hands, his face. Wet crimson that was not his own. Blood splattered over the battlefield where countless Senju and Uchiha alike were sprawled out, bodies of children a common occurrence among them. The ground was decimated by jutsu of all elements breaking through the earth. But the blood and the sweat and the tears and the throbbing pain behind his eyes didn't matter. What mattered was the figure of the boy in front of him. His body slumped against a barren, dying tree, bleeding out from multiple wounds.

Dark eyes turned up to meet his and Madara's breath hitched and he felt his stomach drop, because of those eyes, that silly bowl cut hairstyle, gaping wounds that weren't healing when _they should be_ , a dying dream in front of him and he can't do anything-

Something brushed against Madara's face, and he jolted off the tatami. Another nightmare. He was used to it by now, any shinobi would be, but his heart just wouldn't stop beating so fast and he wanted to run and make something writhe and break and die. He stormed off. He needed air, and suddenly his barren room didn't have enough of it.

The sky was surprisingly clear that night, as he sat on the veranda and lifted his head up to the stars. It was still freezing and Madara was still in his nightclothes, but the rush of his nightmare still hadn't worn off. Another something brushed his arm and he almost lunged, but black met black, and suddenly Sasuke was there, as dark as the sky with eyes that screamed 'Izuna' for some reason. Not that he needed a cat for this, but it was nice to have the familial comfort, just this once. They sat there together under a winter sky, and for a brief moment, he could've sworn Sasuke's eyes flashed red.

* * *

 

Surprisingly, Madara didn't mind the new additions as much as he thought he would. These cats were clean, and they usually slept all the time or kept each other busy. For the most part, they were low maintenance. In fact, it felt... good to come home to the fuzzy trio and enjoy their quiet company. (Of course, he only felt this way because of the weather. There was no other possible explanation.)

They didn't look at him like everyone else did. They didn't look at him and see Madara, the ticking time bomb or Madara, the man that swiped his brother's eyes or even Madara, monster of the battlefield. They just saw him as Madara, the human that feeds them and was allowed to live with them.(Madara snorted at the thought.)

Every day, the village seemed more and more like a mistake. During those times when dark thoughts consumed his mind, Naruto would break another glass and Madara would have to chase him before he could break more. At other times, Sasuke, the prickliest of the three, would allow him to pet his soft underside, and even Sakura, the most mature of the trio, would send him meaningful looks in those moments where he felt like this village wasn't his dream anymore.

Maybe these cats could understand more than they let on, maybe it was just a coincidence. But they were still his cats, and it didn't matter.

(Madara later woke up to a dead rat in his hair, a hairball in the corner of his room, scratched furniture, and three sleeping kittens that wouldn't get off of him.

He took it back. They were little heathens.)

* * *

 

"Is it just me or is Madara behaving differently?"

Hashirama looked up from the mission report he was reading at his brother's question.

"Differently how?" he asked.

"Being somewhat agreeable," Tobirama pointed out, flicking through another pile of paperwork.

Hashirama thought back to his interactions with Madara in the past weeks. Now that he thought of it, Madara wouldn't mind as much when Hashirama did something silly, he picked less fights with Tobirama, and once, he even almost smiled at a jab the younger Senju made (at Hashirama's expense). Perhaps, Madara and Tobirama were finally becoming friends...? He voiced his thoughts to his little brother.

"Those papers won't sort themselves out, Anija."

Or, maybe not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feeling nervous about writing Tobirama. How do people write him so easily?? Anyways, feedback is always appreciated! ♥


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cats shed, Madara sets his foot down, and a new addition arrives. Also, Hashirama makes Madara feel things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg we passed 70. This is not a drill. But seriously, thank you everyone for showing interest in my story! (It's kinda overwhelming, haha.)

Madara only noticed it after Tobirama of all people was the one who pointed it out. They, along with Hashirama, were sorting out different problems presented to them by their new village. Papers piled high on each of their desks.

"At last, _someone_ got his fashion sense together," Tobirama jabbed, gesturing at the Uchiha with a pen in hand.

"What do you mean by that, Senju?" Madara snapped at him.

Tobirama simply gestured to his own fur covered collar. Madara looked down at himself.

Oh.

There was cat hair, everywhere. Partially in his hair, other bright bits of fur layering his usual outfit. If any more hair had accumulated, he bet he could make a scarf as big as the Senju's.

Tobirama's mouth twitched in a silent laugh. Madara didn't know what possessed him to say it, but it felt better than letting Tobirama get this one over him.

"I'm shedding!" he defended, and everyone froze.

Tobirama's mouth opened and quickly shut again.

Shit, that didn't come out right. Quick, he had to salvage his reputation before it was all gone. He folded his arms and cocked his head. He needed to look confident or this wouldn't work.

"What, you don't grow a winter coat? No wonder your hair is so messy," Madara brushed his own spiky hair for emphasis.

"...What?" Tobirama was speechless.

Hashirama wheezed.

Nailed it.

* * *

 

"We need to talk."

Three felines sat across from the Uchiha.

Sasuke meowed in protest.

"I know it's winter and you need your coats, but I need to look professional, damn it!" he retorted. He briefly paced back in forth, hands clasped behind his back, then came to a stop, turning his head back up to look at his roommates. 

Sakura blinked again. Her silent snark was the most palpable.

"Sakura, don't give me that sass...!" he started.

Naruto walked up to Madara's leg, soft fur brushing against him with a purr.

God, he was arguing with kittens.

* * *

 

The ground still had a hefty layer of hardened snow covering it, and the sky remained forebodingly cloudy. As Madara and Hashirama left the Hokage tower, Hashirama settled a hand on his shoulder.

"Let's get drinks together. It's been a while," Hashirama urged with a smile.

He was right. It had been a while since the two had properly sat down for drinks. First they were too busy settling village affairs, then Hashirama became Hokage, and after that, the cats showed up.

"You and your alcohol," he sighed, shaking his head and continuing to walk forward, "Whatever. It's freezing out here."

"Is that a yes?" Hashirama inquired, catching up to Madara's brisk pace.

"Hn."

And that was how the two ended up sitting together within the newly constructed bar Hashirama chose. Conversations from other civilians and shinobi alike filled the tavern with white noise.

"Sometimes I still can't believe we made this a reality," Hashirama sighed, taking a long drink of his sake.

Hashirama had always been more into drinking than he was. Madara took his time, taking small sips from his dish instead.

"How's that winter coat growing in, Madara?" Hashirama joked, running a hand through his own long hair in an imitating manner.

"Shut it," he growled, but there was no malice in it.

Hashirama laughed, making his shoulder brush against Madara's own; He had always been a touchy person, and Madara didn't understand why he was only noticing it now.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment. 

"To Konoha!" Hashirama raised a glass, a light flush on his cheeks.

His smile seemed different this time around. It made Madara inhale a bit more, even though it was Hashirama's usual grin.

Suddenly the village became real. He became aware of the different clans surrounding them, getting along with each other. It felt like Konoha, and not just an experiment. It felt like a dream come true, a dream that was _theirs_ and not just Hashirama's.

Madara raised his own drink.

* * *

 

Madara was being watched. He knew it, but he sensed no malicious intent. Still, it grated on his nerves and made him more testy than usual. He absolutely couldn't stand when someone was behind him!

As he worked his way through his clan's disputes and concerns, it ate away at him. The towering piles of paperwork left him feeling even more agitated.

It was especially difficult to focus on any work when Sasuke would laze around on top of his scrolls, getting dark fur all over them. He stood up and made an exit. He couldn't get any work done like this, so he might as well have brewed some tea to calm down.

Although he had just left the room, the absence of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura was very noticeable.

He opened the door to the veranda, a steaming cup of tea in hand before he felt eyes on him. He was not in the mood right now. He formed a hand sign for something dangerous and flashy, allowing his chakra reach out and find his stalker.

Ah. There it was, a small chakra signature from the surrounding barren forest. 

Black eyes turned down and met steely grey. A rather fat silver cat hid partially behind a tree nearby, keeping a trained eye on all of Madara's movements. Madara let out a huff, why were cats always making him paranoid? He cradled his tea in both hands. It was still cold out, after all.

The big cat remained still, taking the time to analyze Madara as he sipped his tea. Their eyes remained in a deadlock. Eventually, Madara's tea ran out, and the cup was set down. 

"Hey," Madara greeted it, "Come here, I promise I won't kill you."

(He couldn't believe he was growing a soft spot for these things. If only Izuna could see him now. Maybe it was genetic?)

The cat sent him a warning look. It wasn't exactly menacing, considering its wet fur from the recent snowfall. Still, the cat took its time approaching him, double checking the area for any hints of danger. Coming in front of the tree revealed the cat to have a noticeable scar along its left eye, impeding its sight, along with a protective wrap around its bushy tail. It was overall an older cat compared to Madara's furry roommates. He crouched down, reaching out a hand and keeping still. The feline hissed, bearing its sharp fangs. 

The cat's scary face might've been able to ward off the clan's birds, but it wouldn't scare off Madara. At Madara's stillness, it slowly but surely came even closer, up to his pale hand. It sniffed it, turned around, and went back into the cold woods, tail raised high.

Madara didn't know why, but he felt like he passed some sort of test.

The following morning, Madara walked into the main room to see the newly named Kakashi sprawled out under the rising sun, three small bundles of fluff cuddled beside him.

* * *

 

Staring at the winter moon, Madara came to a realization. He began to notice things more. He began to notice Konoha more. He began to notice Hashirama more. As Sasuke snuggled deeper into his lap, Madara absentmindedly stroked behind his big pointy ears. Hashirama was both nothing like his cats and just like them.

Naruto would dash and sneak and creep and chase shadows throughout the compound and his house. The orange tabby was playful, yes, but he had limits. Hashirama knew no such thing. He would go and go and keep going without any sign of slowing or exhaustion.

Sasuke was smart, that much was certain. There were signs in his mannerisms and flicks of his short tail that suggested it. He was observant, staring at the different Uchiha, but never approaching anyone. Hashirama was smart too, yes, but he didn't keep his distance like Sasuke. He came close and attached himself close to the hearts of all.

Sakura was graceful and strong. She would move from one spot to the next in a fluid motion like water down a stream. She held herself tall amongst her fellow cats with a determined glint in her eyes that said 'Come at me, I dare you.' Hashirama was not graceful by any means, but he certainly was strong. He wasn't just strong, he was a god on the battlefield. Under layers of grime, sweat, and blood, he never looked better in Madara's opinion.

Kakashi was... Kakashi. The cat was actually pretty aloof, and Madara suspected it had something to do with his scarred eye. Still, even with the lazy sway of his tail, he still proved to be loyal to the kitten trio. Hashirama was the opposite personality wise, always a chatterbox, he loved to talk to others, to be spoken to, and to touch. But he was still just as loyal and quick to defend his comrades as the silver cat.

Hashirama was lively, alive in a way nothing else was. He was tan and firm like an oak and each step he took seemed to light up the earth around his feet. When he called to nature, it would call back. He would raise his hands, and the world would move. He breathed life, and life breathed him.

Indeed, Hashirama wasn't a cat, but he still he still made Madara feel-

He sneezed. Damn, it was cold out.

(That night, he dreamed of flushed, tan skin and warm weather.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I drew a Catkashi. :3 Thank you commenter iiii for giving me that push to add him in! Any ideas, feedback, or tips are always welcome! ♥ (because seriously I need all the help I can get >.<) Also, I almost hit that orphan button by accident earlier today ;-; scary...


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madara declares war on Nyakashi and Tobirama shows up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, you've all been sending such nice comments and suggestions and it's so nice to know you're so invested! Thank you all so much!!!

Cold gusts of wind swept through the village, warding away villagers from the freezing streets and into their homes. Winter was always rough, even when the homes Hashirama built were constructed with thick walls to resist the chill.

He and Madara stood side by side atop the cliff overlooking Konoha. Hashirama couldn't help but look at his friend. Madara had been unhappy for a while now, that much was obvious. It wasn't the snark or the glares he would send others, that was him being him. But Hashirama noticed something darker within his friend, something he couldn't prevent festering despite his ability to heal. It was still there, yes, but not as prevalent anymore. He now saw light in his friend's uncovered eye when he smirked or jabbed or fought, and it seemed that Madara didn't notice the change.

But Hashirama did. Tobirama, too. Even the Senju and the Uchiha and the newer clans did. The sight felt like bright spring flowers blossoming in his chest. But it also made something gnaw inside of him for weeks now. 

Who could possibly have helped Madara when he couldn't?

But then sometimes Madara would laugh in a way Hashirama hadn't seen in years. He would see the boy he met by the stream, all those years ago. He laughed openly and his visible eye shut and suddenly Hashirama felt unexplainably warm whenever he saw it, despite the cold gusts against his skin. His cheeks would dust pink and light moss would grow under his feet every time he saw it. The spark of envy he felt would be forgotten at each of Madara's small smiles. His heart felt odd, but Hashirama was happy to see this side of Madara that was usually locked away. He was glad his best friend was improving. That's what was most important, after all.

* * *

 

They had a routine going for a while now. Then Kakashi came along and ruined it.

Every morning, Madara would wake up to either three little weights settled on top of him, the trio cuddled up in a corner of his room, or the trio out and about in his kitchen, searching for food. He woke to none of these things. Instead, his bedroom was empty. Madara thought nothing of it at first. If they weren't here, they were in the kitchen.

They weren't in the kitchen.

He got started on his own breakfast and prepared some for his cats as well. There was still no sign of them. It was odd, since at the sound of any food, the three would always magically show up in front of him. He set down a plate.

"Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura? ...Kakashi?" he called out. No response. He checked outside.

Ah, there they were.

Three small cats, orange, black, and grey were seated in front of one large, silver feline. Kakashi held a big fish in his mouth, lowering it down in front of the trio. The three let out meows of thanks before digging right in.

Kakashi sent him a superior look, his one eye forming a slit.

This meant war.

* * *

 

Kakashi lazed about in one of the few fields devoid of snow, laying on his back to absorb as much sunlight as he could. Madara's three little balls of fluff would follow him around everywhere. It was annoying! They never did that with Madara, but they seemed to hang off of Kakashi's every drawled out meow. In addition to that, Kakashi wouldn't even acknowledge him!

Kakashi let his eye glance at him before shutting it, returning to his nap. Naruto and Sasuke wrestled in a fuzzy ball of orange and black as Sakura sat nearby, grooming herself.

Madara approached the cats with his secret weapon in hand. Sakura sent him a confused look, but he paid it no mind. He pulled out a long stick, bird feathers tied to the end, and suddenly, the attention of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were set on the feathers. The three were still.

Madara moved the toy, and the three pounced in uniform, completely forgetting about their cat idol.

Kakashi sent him an irritated flick of his bandaged tail.

Ha.

* * *

 

Madara stood in his home. Not the one he currently lived in, but the one he and his brothers lived in. The one that should have been abandoned years ago. His brothers stood around him, laughing, joking, and smiling in an open way that would never have happened during the war.

He saw Masaru, with his short hair that he absolutely refused to grow out. Kenta, with a face that Madara was starting to forget but large eyes that would stay burned into his memory. Takumi, the youngest, with a reckless streak that put him in more danger than necessary. And Izuna, the longest one to stay and the most painful to leave. His heart felt full and his mind was at ease. They were here, they were happy, and they could be a family again. Madara would protect this.

Then he woke up.

It wasn't a bad dream. Madara hadn't even felt waves of grief upon realizing it was only a dream. But his house felt so empty at that moment. He got up and left the room, he wouldn't be getting any more sleep any time soon.

(Three and a half pairs of eyes watched his retreating back.)

It was surprisingly clear that night. The stars were actually visible for once. It was still cold out, and the streets were quiet as he walked through the village. No one was awake at the time save for the patrol, who didn't dare bother Madara Uchiha, the man who could decimate armies.

He made a lap of the village twice, just to feel the chakra signatures of the people within it, to assure himself that at least this was real. That their dream was real. 

He got back to his home to find Kakashi of all cats in front of the door, sitting straight up, looking at him. His fuzzy tail swayed upwards in a greeting, and Madara felt the urge to wave back. He resisted it, of course, and made his way to the veranda, the big cat following beside him.

So maybe Kakashi wasn't all that bad. He was still irritating, though.

* * *

 

Tobirama was concerned.

He didn't mind this change in Madara. In fact, he embraced it. It was only beneficial from what he could understand. So much more work could be done when he didn't have to clash with the Uchiha at every turn.

So why was Tobirama concerned, one may ask?

His brother was acting off. He sent Madara looks when they worked together, like something unsatisfied him. When they would depart, he noticed him sending longing looks to the Uchihas back. They were so obvious that it confused Tobirama to no end that Madara couldn't tell.

This was the reason why Tobirama now found himself standing in front of the Uchiha head's home, ignoring the looks passing Uchihas would send him as he stood in front of the door. Madara needed to talk to his brother, and Tobirama would tell him so. Sensing Madara's wild chakra, he gave a small flare of his own, cold and controlled, to alert Madara of his presence. He was met with silence.

Odd.

Tobirama gave a more conventional approach, knocking on the door instead. There was no change. He decided to check the perimeter of the big house. That's where he found him.

Madara was curled up on his side outside on the veranda, a group of cats surrounding him. A small, black cat was nestled in his arms, a grey cat laid on his side, a bright orange cat sprawled out next to his head, and a large, silver cat watched over the scene from Madara's feet. As for Madara himself, his eyes were shut, lips parted as he breathed in and out at a slow, steady rate. This was probably the most relaxed Tobirama had ever seen the Uchiha. He thought back to a conversation he and his brother had earlier.

( _"Anija, what is troubling you?"_

_"I'm just thinking too hard."_

_"Out with it, you'll be like this all day if you don't tell me now."_

_"...Do you think Madara found someone special?"_

_"Ah, you mean the cause for his new behavior? It is possible."_

_A raincloud appeared around Hashirama's head._ )

It would seem that these cats were that 'special someone' Hashirama mentioned. It would certainly explain the fur all over Madara recently.

The grey cat's one eye suddenly pierced into his own red ones. If Tobirama were a lesser man, he would have flinched. It seemed to be a warning glare, for some odd reason. He lost the cat's attention rather quickly as the cat strolled up to Madara's arms. Madara opened up his arms to hold the feline closer, seeking the heat in his sleep with a small grunt under his breath.

Tobirama turned and left, feeling now wasn't the time to wake him.

It was certainly cold out. The Uchiha needed all the warmth he could get.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got some tests coming up this week, so I might not update as frequently, sorry. Still, I'll be coming up with ideas and watching for suggestions, so as always, comments are appreciated!!! ♥♥♥


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Madara is away, the cats will play. Tobirama becomes a top tier cat sitter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm gonna stop counting the kudos, the number is just kind of scary now. ;-; (But still, thank you everyone! Your support means a lot!)

Tobirama sought out Madara the following day. He found him awake this time, still lightly covered in fur.

At the sight of Madara, he couldn't even stay irritated at him, thinking about how peaceful the man looked when he was surrounded by the small herd of cats. Neither could he demand Madara to fix something that hadn't broken between his brother and the Uchiha. He just wanted confirmation at this point.

"So...kittens?" he asked.

"You-!?" Madara's visible eye flashed, but then he took a moment to take a deep breath, "A problem, Tobirama?"

Tobirama respected him a little bit more for holding back. He knew, after all, how heated the Uchiha could get.

"None. None at all," he wasn't even being sarcastic.

And that was that.

* * *

 

It wasn't a hard mission. Madara didn't even need to accept it and Hashirama would have assigned it to someone else. It just felt good to get out once in a while and keep his reflexes sharp.

That, and Madara loved to fight.

He was built for combat, with a large arsenal of jutsu and eyes made for it. He could go against armies with just his gunbai and prevail. Fighting gave him a rush like no other, and it was what he needed right now.

He was tasked with delivering a scroll containing particularly sensitive information. Madara volunteered for this specific job because there would be a high chance of combat, since many ninja would come after this scroll. His destination was the newly made Sunagakure. But before he could set out, he had one problem.

Would the cats be okay on their own?

Kakashi seemed to know how to find food, considering he discovered a rather large fish in the middle of winter, but he had three kittens to worry about.

Two halves of Madara warred with each other until one finally conquered the other. He knew what he had to do.

* * *

 

"The cats like to knead things. Get them a blanket and they should be fine."

Tobirama didn't know how Madara roped him into this, but once he finally agreed, Madara just wouldn't stop _talking._

First, Madara introduced him to each of his cats. Then, he handed Tobirama a scroll that was at least a mile long. And now, _this_.

"If they're not in the house by eight, you need to send a small chakra flare to call them in. Naruto is more sensitive to chakra, so you need to do it like this..."

"And make sure to separate their meals evenly, or they'll start to fight over them..."

Now Madara was pacing.

"Keep those things in a closet! Fuck, do you want them to die?!"

"If you pet Sasuke, stroke him with his fur, not against it. He hates whenever I do that..."

A grey kitten approached Madara as he paced back and forth. He picked it up in his arms and kept going.

"Make sure they get plenty of exercise! I do _not_ want to come back to fat fuzzballs!"

"Sakura seems to really like these treats... When she resists fighting Naruto or Sasuke, give her one of these to reinforce that behavior..."

Tobirama couldn't believe it.

"Kakashi absolutely hates being touched without permission. If you lose an eye, it's your own fault, Senju."

"They might brush against you at night. Kill them and you're dead!"

This was just...

"If they raise their tails, they are greeting you. Wave back to them and they might trust you a bit more..."

"You have a koi pond right? Of course you do. Listen, Kakashi likes to fish, so if you don't want dead fish everywhere you need to..."

God, could Madara even hear himself!?

* * *

 

Hashirama liked the cats well enough. They were sweet little things. He had no idea why they were around, but Tobirama just brought them home one day and began to recite rules for taking care of them, a dazed look in his eyes the entire time.

Hashirama rose with the sun, and as it turned out, the cats did too.

Naruto was a joy to be around. He was a little bundle of sunshine. He would follow around Hashirama in the mornings, taking many little steps to compensate for one of Hashirama's own.

Sasuke reminded him of Madara, with matching dark eyes and large black ears that made him think of Madara's spiky hair. He kept more of a distance, but he liked the company of his fellow cats and didn't mind being pet.

Sakura was beautiful, with sharp green eyes that could be mistaken for precious jewels. She was always grooming herself or her friends, making sure they were healthy and clean.

Kakashi was a guardian. He was usually sleeping somewhere under the sun, but the instant he would hear a meow, he was up and running. From day one, it was obvious he loved the smaller trio very much.

The quartet would sleep with him at night and Hashirama appreciated the company. 

These cats were impossibly cute and Hashirama still didn't understand what caused his brother to bring them home one day.

(That night was cold. Hashirama hoped Madara wouldn't freeze. He knew he hated the chill.)

* * *

 

They were four furry menaces. Absolutely no work could be done in their presence.

The patterned cat, Naruto, constantly wanted attention. If he didn't get what he wanted, glasses would shatter. (How did he manage to break them before Tobirama could catch them?!)

Sasuke would sit on his scrolls, getting his black fur soaked in ink and then leaving tracks all over the Senju home.

Sakura would knead on Tobirama, leaving thin yet painful scratches in her wake. (Didn't Madara say they would use the blanket?)

Kakashi stole one of the fish. Tobirama only noticed when he found the bones in a drawer. His clothes drawer, to be exact.

There were dead rats placed by his door every morning.

They would share knowing looks, like it was all some kind of inside joke. Then they would usually follow it up by demanding food, as if they weren't causing trouble with every step.

They would run around wildly in the middle of the night, their meows waking up Tobirama each time.

Sometimes, he wished he was a deep sleeper like his elder brother.

* * *

 

Madara dreamt of his brothers' screams and swirling red eyes.

Cold gusts of wind roared through the night, dragging sand with them each time. There was sand in Madara's everything, and it was freezing outside.

The mission was completed. He'd even gotten the conflict he'd wanted, heat from a fire jutsu still lingering in his hands. There were no interruptions from comrades who would've just gotten in the way. Madara was able to go all out. It felt good, and no one had stood a chance.

But it was cold. He was alone in the desert night in the middle of winter. Of course, he could keep himself warm enough that he wouldn't die, but these temperatures were something else! Why did he sign up for this again?

He thought about warm fur that would brush against him at odd intervals in the night. The trill of a purr that echoed against his walls. A rather heavy weight on his legs. Soft paws that protectively clung to his hair.

...He missed his cats.

(He had a hard time falling back asleep. It was way too cold out.)

* * *

 

Tobirama finally got it down.

The cats woke up early, alongside his brother and himself. When breakfast was prepared, Tobirama needed to set aside the bowls in different parts of the room. It hadn't mattered how much food was in each wooden bowl, the cats would fight regardless. By spacing them apart, each cat was able to enjoy their own meal at their own pace.

Naruto liked attention, so Tobirama would give it to him. He made a shadow clone to keep the excitable kitten busy with toys and the like.

Sakura liked to knead on things. Especially Tobirama. It didn't hurt, but it was definitely unappreciated. To fix this issue, he had his brother create a sodden figure with Tobirama's likeness. Scratches eventually migrated from Tobirama to the figure.

As it turned out, it was Sasuke who was finding all the mice. He'd begun to reject the 'gifts,' as Hashirama had called them, until Sasuke got the message. Now Sasuke brought him feathers of different birds.

Kakashi didn't actually do all that much. He caught a fish because he was bored and hungry. Tobirama made sure to get some extra exercise time for the large feline along with a slightly bigger meal and everything was easily resolved.

It was a hassle, but at least there was a system now. Yes, Tobirama could do this.

He let out a sigh of relief.

* * *

 

When Madara returned from his mission, he went directly to the Hokage tower with a certain man in mind. Bursting into the office, he sent a deadly glare at the man in question.

"You. Me. Now," Madara did not waste time.

Tobirama stood with acceptance and faint amusement. Hashirama tilted his head in confusion, standing up as well.

"What's going o-" Hashirama began, but Tobirama was already being dragged out of the room.

Echoes of Madara telling Tobirama to hurry up were heard in the distance until there was only silence.

"Oh. Okay, then..." Hashirama sat back down, a storm brewing above his lowered head.

* * *

 

"Never again." Tobirama stated as he handed him each of his cats in mint condition.

As for Tobirama himself, he wore an expression of a man who'd seen it all and triumphed.

"Fine," was Madara's simple reply.

Madara didn't care. He wanted to just grab his cats and hold them close, but he had restraint. He was _the_ Madara Uchiha, after all.

(He waited until he got home and gave them all a kiss on each of their furry little foreheads.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit more Tobirama this chapter. He's starting to grow on me :) So thank you everyone who commented, I just can't get enough of them! I'll always accept feedback and suggestions! ♥♥♥


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was bound to happen eventually. At least Sakura is warm (and so is Hashirama).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for your awesome comments! I can add in even more stuff to this fic, thanks to you all! :D

He sneezed. Then he sneezed again, followed by a sniffle. It hurt more than it should've.

Madara was absolutely miserable. No matter how many blankets he stacked on himself, he still felt chilly. He had to blow his nose every other minute. When he wasn't sleeping, he was sneezing and coughing.

It was official. Madara was sick.

His body felt sluggish, it was hard to find the strength to open his eyes, and he generally felt like one of those gross, wadded up hairballs Kakashi would occasionally choke out.

Sasuke waltzed up to his prone form on the tatami and began to groom his hair.

"Thank you, Sasuke," he groaned, "but..."

He reached over and picked up the black kitten. He hadn't realized that Sasuke was still in the room with him. The kittens were getting bigger recently, but they were still fairly young. There was no reason to get his cats sick, too. Sasuke blinked back up at him wearing a bored expression as usual.

He opened his bedroom door, dispensing the kitten on the floor before shutting it closed again. Laying back on the bed, Madara hid deeper under his blankets, returning to another fitful nap.

It was so damn cold.

* * *

 

Madara woke from a dreamless sleep with chills racking his body and a scratching noise echoing through his home. He rolled over to look at his door, rugged hair obscuring his vision more than it usually did. The door rumbled for a moment, became still, and then started up again. His eyes narrowed.

A small, higher pitched meow was muffled from behind the door.

That was Sakura. She rarely meowed, but this time around she sounded rather frustrated. He had to make a quick double check to see if Naruto or Sasuke had snuck in during his rest. But no, they were still outside of his room.

He finally forced himself to get up and find out what was causing Sakura so much stress. The grey kitten finally stopped meowing when Madara opened the door, turning with her tail raised. He waved back, of course, and she brushed against his ankle before trotting along to the kitchen.

By the time Madara caught up with her, she was on the kitchen table, with eyes he thought to be silently demanding sustenance. He obliged, filling a bowl with a reasonable amount of her usual meal and set it down in front of her. The kitten sniffed the food for only a moment before looking back at him longingly. Maybe she wasn't hungry. He went over to that box he now kept in the corner and pulled out a stuffed fish. He pushed it into her field of vision.

Nope. No reaction. She just kept staring at him with those green eyes. 

Madara continued like that for a while, tiring himself our even further trying to figure out what had gotten into Sakura. Eventually, he exhausted himself and grabbed some ginger tea to at least soothe his throat a little, and pulled out papers to work on clan business.

He ended up sitting down, a steaming cup of spiced tea in one hand and papers in the other, with a grey, content kitten sitting in his lap, making herself comfortable.

She began to knead at his legs again, like she used to do a lot when he had just gotten her, but this time around, her claws didn't scratch him. In fact, her paws were warm, like a medic's healing chakra. She let out a contented purr while she did so, and Madara felt humbled that the queen of the house only sought out his company.

With each sip of the tea, and Sakura's working paws, he felt a little better.

* * *

 

"Madara? Madara! I know you're in there!" a shout came from outside.

Madara opened his door to find Hashirama standing there, a worried expression on his face.

A fresh sheet of snow covered the Uchiha compound. It must've snowed while Madara was asleep. The cold air from outside was making its way in, freezing Madara even more than he thought he could be.

"Madara! Did something happen? Why are you still at home?" Hashirama asked his friend, giving him a searching look.

Madara sneezed, blinking tiredly back at Hashirama in silence. It took a moment for him to process the questions being thrown his way. Hashirama gave him that one look he never realized he did when he was thinking hard about something. Then he stepped forward, placing his hand on Madara's head. Madara flinched back from the intrusion of his personal space, but relaxed a little under his friend's warm chakra.

"I'm coming in," he finally stated.

"I don't need your help," Madara retorted.

He knew how Hashirama was, with that dumb healing complex. He'd seen Tobirama cough once and Hashirama went crazy over it for a week. If Madara didn't reject him now, he'd never be rid of him. Hashirama kept giving him that look.

"Hashirama...!" Madara warned him.

"I want to," Hashirams came closer and placed his hand on his shoulder, dark eyes looking directly into Madara's with that single minded determination he always had.

There was that warm feeling again. The one that bunched up in his chest and felt disgustingly sweet. It felt like the buildup before a fire jutsu, swirling and spiraling. Madara's next words were caught in his sore throat as Hashirama led him further into the house by the hand. Madara couldn't focus on anything except the warmth of his friend's hand.

He forgot about his cats until Hashirama guided him further inside.

Naruto and Sasuke were at it again. The orange tabby and the black kitten took turns swatting at Sakura's swaying tail. The grey kitten was letting out warning growls, almost as if she was telling them 'Watch it, Shannyaro!' (Whatever that last part meant.) Kakashi sat in the shadows of the room, watching every movement but staying obscured.

Their ears twitched in unison at the sound of entering footsteps, each of them turning to greet the duo. A flash of realization appeared in Hashirama's eyes, followed by a bright grin.

If Hashirama laughed, he'd kick him out.

* * *

 

Madara was actually the softest thing ever. The cats were his, and they were all so precious. Hashirama had always known that Madara was kinder and sweeter than most could see, but, the man had four cats, three of them being kittens, how couldn't he have grinned?

As Hashirama was going to run a bath for his friend, ( _"I am completely capable of running my own bath, Hashirama!"_ ) he caught a glimpse of Madara in the living room.

He held up the black cat with rather big ears, Sasuke, to his face, looking right into his eyes. He wore a tired little grin that Hashirama just knew would become a scowl if he noticed his audience. Hashirama just couldn't look away and honeysuckle bloomed around his feet.

Madara was saying something to it, and the kitten meowed in reply.

He wanted to go right over there and hold Madara as closely as he now held the cat. He wanted Madara to let his guard down like that around him. These sweet animals made his best friend truly happy.

Hashirama just... wanted to make him that happy, too. 

He tripped on vines.

"Hey, what's that racket?"

"Nothing!"

He thought he heard Madara snort.

Madara took his bath, heating the water to even higher temperatures than Hashirama had originally set. He later went over Madara once more with medical chakra, making sure there weren't any underlying problems with his friend's sickness. Then, that night, he took his friend to his tatami, laying down next to him.

"What are you doing? Go home," Madara ordered.

"I'll see to it that you get better," Hashirama protested. It may have been a minor illness, but Hashirama didn't like seeing him so sick.

"I can handle myself," his friend sighed. He looked very tired.

"I know you can, but I want to help you anyway," and that was true. 

Madara was silent for a but after that, but his dark hair shifted after a moment.

"What about your brother?"

"I'll send a clone," Hashirama wanted to stay with Madara, just for the night, and he was stubborn. Both he and Madara knew that.

"Fine. Stay in front of me, I can't sleep with someone behind me. And if you get sick, you've had it coming."

"I've never gotten sick! Even as a child," he bragged. (It was a lie. He had gotten Tobirama's cough after they'd shared a cup of water.)

* * *

 

As they laid side by side on his tatami, Madara couldn't help but notice it.

Hashirama was warm.

He was always warm. He had warm eyes, a warm smile, and warm, tan skin. His chakra was warm, heavy, and vast. It was engulfing and strong and powerful and Madara wouldn't mind being engulfed in it forever.

And Madara was very cold. 

(A part of Madara wondered if Hashirama wouldn't mind warming him up every day.)

* * *

 

Even with all Hashirama had assisted, some things had to be left to the body to fix.

Madara's house was dark, only illuminated by moonlight that fit through the window. Small footsteps from the hall sounded one after the other, chasing, leaping, and playing. Hashirama grinned. These cats were good for Madara.

Speaking of Madara...

Hashirama looked beside him.

Madara's face relaxed and that one crease in his brow flattened in his sleep. He took small, silent breaths in and out, lips slightly parted. Those same lips could spit out fire balls and venomous curses one second and spew praise to his kittens the other. It took a bit for Hashirama to drag his eyes away from them. He brushed the usual lock of hair out of Madara's face, leaving him bare for Hashirama to see. He was handsome, anyone could see that, but there was just something about him right now, in the vulnerability of his expression, the inaudible breaths, and the damp sheen of his hair. Even when he was sick, he still looked strong and intimidating and impressive. Hashirama hand't noticed how close he'd gotten to his face until they were inches apart. Madara shivered, he must have still been cold.

He held his friend closer that night.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel a lot better about this chapter than the last one. Idk, maybe it's because there's more Madara. All comments, feedback, suggestions, and tips are always appreciated! ♥♥♥


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madara worries for his kitties and Mito shows up, but Naruto likes her so it's okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ey idk if there should be a warning, but WARNING: description of animal death in this one, so yeah. It's brief, though.

Chatter from vendors, couples, and children filled the village streets with noise. Shadows danced as shinobi traversed the village from the darkness. It was generally sunny for once, and some of the snow had melted under the sun's heat. As Madara made his way through the busy village streets, he felt stares all along his back, prickling like ice and making him shiver. He wanted peace and quiet the way his cats (mostly) were, and having to repress his reflexes before he stabbed a civilian was not helping. 

Then a Senju child had approached him and handed him cat treats, giving him a wide grin that revealed a missing tooth.

Of course Hashirama wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut about the cats. He really should've known better. Then again, Senju seemed to lack common sense from what he knew. Hashirama was his friend, sure, but he was still a prime example.

He took a new route so he wouldn't have to deal with it.

* * *

 

Madara was back home again. The sky was bright, and conversation of several Uchiha droned low through the house. Suddenly a little Izuna was there, at the door with tears streaking down his face, new, bright red eyes gleaming. The chatter stopped. 

"A-aniki..."

A young Madara ran up to his brother and held him by the shoulders.

"Izuna?! What happened?"

"N-na-!" his little brother sobbed, hugging him tightly, before dragging him away from the warmth of the house.

He was led into the woods not so far off. Tree branches blocked the sun and left shadows to cover the forest floor. Underneath one tree was a small cat.

The cat was sprawled out in a dangerously relaxed state, orange fur dyed red, and a shuriken lodged deep in its tender belly. Madara picked up the fragile little thing and held him close, very close, as its big blue eyes closed in a resigned acceptance. He wouldn't make it, not after such an injury on such a small creature. He cradled the poor thing until it was gone.

He looked up to see an older Izuna, who wore a disappointed frown, cheeks dry of tears, brushing a hand over Naruto's still body.

 _Naruto_. Madara froze.

It was suddenly cold.

There were times when Madara would wake up and nothing would feel right. As his heart pounded out of his chest and his head swam, it was one of those times.

He hadn't even considered the consequences of the Hokage's actions until he woke up with flashes of bleeding felines in his head.

There were always enemies, even within their village, after all.

He breathed in, flashed his chakra lightly, and before he knew it, three little bundles brushed against his side, and another ball of fluff settled itself near his head.

They cuddled up with him, fur pressed close, but Madara still couldn't breathe right. He felt like he lost something great, even though it was just a stupid dream. His vision blurred, something wet ran down his face, and his chest ached.

Naruto, easy to love, with an excitement to play and befriend. Sasuke with the competitive streak to rival his own and eyes like his brother. Sakura with her heart of gold and power to back up her beliefs. Kakashi, who was always there, always watching, and always caring. He looked at them. Really looked.

If something happened... If they were all gone...?

In the darkness of his bedroom, he trembled and held his family close, vowing to keep them safe.

* * *

 

It was still cold out, but at least it wasn't snowing anymore. Bare branches swayed in the chilly breeze, blocking some of the wind from freezing the group.

He sniffled again.

This time around he had to drag his cats out of the house, the cloudy sky putting them all in a lazy mood. But today they wouldn't be slouching around, they were targets. Adorable, loving, little targets. Madara wouldn't always be in the village.

They needed to train.

Naruto yawned and Sasuke did something with his paws. Kakashi flopped on his side and Sakura began to groom her lazy superior.

Madara began to call on his chakra, a drop at a time, letting it form a small pool of wild flaring heat. In order for them to sense and mold their own chakra, they would need more exposure than Madara usually gave them.

Naruto's folded ears twitched. He gave Madara a confused look, as if he was asking 'Why are you calling us? We're right here, nyattebayo.'

Madara kept going. He would need the other three to feel it as well. More chakra filled the air, thickening it with more heat and fire than usual until Sasuke and Sakura couldn't help but notice, sending out subconscious little pushes back. Madara was glad, they were quick learners. Kakashi took a bit longer, but eventually a long push of chakra pressed against Madara's as well.

He kept up the little push and pull between them, letting the cats adjust to the feeling of their own chakra coursing through their bodies.

He would stop every now and then, allowing them to recover their strength, before they would start again. Once he was satisfied with their progress, he removed his chakra from the environment. The cold became evident again. The cats' attention still remained on him, since they were used to him using chakra to call them in.

He gave them treats for their hard work afterwards, a large fish from the Senju koi ponds that all four cats loved.

( _"Anija, was Kakashi here recently? More fish have gone missing from the pond!"_

_"No? Only Madara had come over for a short time and... oh."_

_"God, the man is worse than his cats!"_ )

The cats would begin to use their chakra consciously soon. It was a start.

Madara rested a bit easier that night, dreaming of his brother's smile and a very much alive tabby.

* * *

 

"What a sweetie! What are you doing all alone out here in this weather?"

Madara was only gone for a moment, but as he returned to the field he was using for training with the cats, there was someone there.

A stranger, alone with his cats.

While the cats had always gone out of he house without him, now people knew that they were  _his._ Madara was generally disliked, he knew, and he wouldn't put it past someone to do something about it.

Sasuke was the only one with him, perched on his shoulder, comfortably nuzzling into his side. He saw Sakura behind Kakashi a few feet away from the woman.

The stranger held Naruto. He thought of his dream, and his heart raced.

"Put the cat down, _now_."

Crimson hair. A rich red, bright like the sharingan, was the first thing to catch Madara's eye. If he didn't know any better, he would think it was dyed. A tiny diamond sat on her forehead, reminding him of Sakura. Then he noticed her face, with dark eyes and lips as red as her hair. She was beautiful, that much was certain. And she was dangerous.

"Is he yours?" she asked, teasingly innocent. She lowered her arms, Naruto in hand.

"Don't mess around, you know he's mine! And if you know what's best for you, you'll release him before I make you," he snapped. 

He already had his sharingan activated, glaring at her, but she didn't even flinch, letting black meeting swirling red. Was she crazy or was she just that confident? Any other person would have looked away at least.

She nuzzled her face into Naruto's.

"Aw, you have such a protective cat dad, kitten!"

Naruto meowed happily back. They both turned their touching heads to look at Madara.

"Madara-san, you're nothing like I'd heard, to be honest," she  _grinned_ at him.

She was crazy, that much was certain, but... Naruto seemed to trust her. His heart began to calm down some. But still, he needed to know her intentions, if just to settle his mind.

"Who... are you?"

"Uzumaki Mito," she answered. He recognized the name from somewhere in his towers of paperwork, but not completely. It was just another clan that was visiting soon to hopefully become allies with the village. His recognition of the name must've been evident on his face, because she continued.

"My clan was supposed to offer my hand in marriage to your Hokage, to improve relations and all that," Mito sighed.

Madara choked. Hashirama? Married to this woman? He just couldn't see it!

(Actually, he could. But the thought of Hashirama married in general formed a pit in Madara's stomach. That was probably just the cold weather, though.)

"Your expression... You too, huh? I thought the same thing," she chuckled, "I mean, he's a wonderful man, don't misunderstand me, but look at his _brother_. He's a total hottie! I'm looking to grab him, instead, and he's close enough to the Hokage that I can get away with it!" she cheered. Okay, now Madara really choked. So much for appearances.

But considering he was always covered in cat hairs, the same could be said for him.

"Oh, but don't worry. You're a solid ten in my books!"

That didn't make him feel better.

"You're... not what I expected, Uzumaki," he finally replied. She looked regal, held herself high and moved like a seasoned kunoichi. And then she hugged Naruto and talked about how she wanted the Hokage's brother. It was confusing.

"As if you're one to talk! There is literally a cat on your shoulder, how could anyone be intimidated by that!" she gestured to Sasuke.

Sasuke could calm people with just a look, Madara wouldn't deny that.

"So, these are your famous cats? What sweeties!" She twirled Naruto around.

"That one is Naruto," he himself didn't understand why was he telling her this, but he felt the need to clarify. She faced the kitten in her hands again.

"Hi Naruto," she began to coo now.

Naruto licked her nose.

She laughed.

This Mito had heard of him, yes, but it was obvious that she'd never  _heard_ of him. She didn't know of those years of strife and blood, how it could have all ended earlier, how Madara had clamored for war in anger and despair. She didn't care for the whispers. She just saw him as he was now, training his cats in a random field.

She knew what he was capable of, and didn't care whatsoever.

He found himself chuckling along. More wind blew, and both of their laughs became sneezes.

* * *

 

Everything was coming along nicely. The cats were more familiar with their own chakra, as well as each other's. Good for sensing danger and finding comrades.

Naruto was reckless, with fluctuating windy pulses that would wind up and pop, which irritated Madara to no end. But he was creative, already coming up with ways to manipulate chakra in his spare time. Madara could work with that.

Sasuke was smart. He had a firery chakra, just tingling at the edges with small sparks. He caught on to things rather quickly, with an eye for patterns and excelled at mimicking them. He could be called an honorary Uchiha at this point, with the personality and chakra signature.

Sakura's was controlled, smooth and deep. Her water chakra was graceful like her, but she seemed to prefer using her claws more than using her chakra. A heavy hitter already.

Kakashi's chakra jolted and cracked and popped, like how he was quick to action despite appearances. He was rather paranoid once he became more attuned to chakra, usually lowering his own until he was invisible to all but seasoned shinobi. Good for stealth.

All together, their chakra reflected them well, and their abilities complemented each other's perfectly. Madara just couldn't help but feel a little warm inside. After double checking the training field, he nabbed them all up in a protective embrace. 

He would never allow his nightmare to come true. They would learn to defend themselves.

They would be fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Can you tell I worked hard on this pic?  
> Anyways, Ninneko time >:3 Don't worry, Madara, you look plenty scary, Mito's just an Uzumaki. Madara needed another human friend. Also, did you know a group of cats is called a clowder? I never want to see that word again ;-; Hope you enjoyed it! Suggestions, feedback, and comments are all welcome!! ♥♥♥


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto and Sasuke are pranking gods. Also, Hashirama is a ten and Tobirama makes a friend.

The Uchiha district had become more welcoming. Still wary, and a bit spiteful, but more welcoming, nonetheless. It probably had something to do with his cats roaming around it, Hashirama's interference, or maybe it was just because as much as his fellow Uchiha were still upset with him, they were family by the end of it. That, and Madara's cats were the sweetest and no one could deny it.

As he returned home one day from the office, he came upon an odd situation. Five cats laid under the sunlight, trying to catch that last bit of light before another cold nighttime fell upon them. Madara had to double check, but yes, there were five of them. Naruto was curled up with Sasuke and Sakura, a pile of purrs and contentment. However, Kakashi was huddled with another cat, another adult just like him. This cat was patches of black and white, a little bob for a tail, and scarring along the right side of its face.

This cat sensed Madara's presence, tensing up and throwing itself back from the group, mouth drawn back in a snarl. 

It waited, glancing at its fellow felines before darting away.

Obito, he named the spotted cat, didn't like Madara... at all. He wasn't like Kakashi, who had ignored him when they first met, rather, he would hiss whenever the Uchiha came close, swatting with sharp claws and sharper teeth (a first for Madara). He assumed it had something to do with those scars on his face. He was thin, scarred, and looked quite grumpy at each encounter.

Madara began to leave food out for him, outside his home. Each morning when he was finally able to drag himself off the tatami, the bowl would be empty.

At least Obito wouldn't starve.

* * *

 

Madara didn't know whether to be proud or not.

The cats had adapted to their chakra rather quickly, and Naruto had roped Sasuke into using their newfound powers for evil.

At first, it was just Naruto. The feline had always had a thing for messing with others for attention. Madara's lack of glass cups was a testament to that. But then, Naruto began to send Sasuke looks, challenges. And with Sasuke's personality, of course he had to rise up to them. Madara wasn't the only victim. Sakura, Kakashi, and the rest of Konoha had been targets. Not a soul was spared.

Cups were broken within everyone's homes. One moment, the glass would sit on the table. The next moment, it would shatter on the floor. Civilians and shinobi alike were uncertain how the cups fell over the instant they looked away.

Clothes that were hung out to dry on the few days it wasn't snowing were mysteriously littered in cat fur when they were retrieved. This only happened after Madara taught his cats how to climb on walls by primarily using chakra.

A face in the image of a masked man with a single lazy eye was scratched into the Hokage mountain. Who even was that?! (Madara was a little saddened that it wasn't his own face on the mountain, but thinking about it, the whole village would've been out for him if it was.)

Cat litter bombs. Gross things imbued with chakra that exploded upon contact. That one was Mito's fault for teaching them, and poor Sakura and Kakashi smelled terrible for days. Madara had to lock up Sakura before she killed her best friends in a fit of rage and hisses. 

"I'm putting my foot down!"

Naruto gave a whiny meow, as if he did nothing wrong.

"No," Madara looked away. He knew what those adorable blue eyes were capable of. A dojutsu stronger than the sharingan.

At least Sasuke had the decency to look embarrassed.

"This needs to stop."

Naruto meowed in earnest now, a protest.

"Naruto."

The kitten stared.

"Sasuke...!"

The other cat avoided eye contact, big ears tilted downwards.

The two cats shunshined away in a swirl of cat hair. Damn Mito, teaching his cats behind his back!

Madara threw his hands up in frustration.

* * *

 

A rather young man passed through the streets. His chin was defined and his hair was light. However, he wore an awfully bright shirt and pants to accompany it, completely clashing with his hair.

"Boo, five," Mito declared, even giving a thumbs down to emphasize her point.

She swirled the straw in her cup before taking a sip. The two of them sat in a small restaurant with an opening to watch the village streets.

Madara didn't know how Mito got him into this 'game' of hers, but it was entertaining, at least.

"Three," he added his input.

"Argh!" Mito grabbed her hair buns, "You always say that!"

"Well, just look at him," Madara argued, "You're being too kind."

She sighed, slumping in her chair. She tilted her face to glance at him.

"You're lucky you're a ten," she muttered.

"Listen, _nine_ , I could be a twenty if I wanted," he smirked.

"And so could I! Fuck you."

Madara kind of liked that she spoke her mind, but he would never say it out loud.

"Leave that to the Senju," he said, and froze. He immediately regretted those words and tried to take them back, but the damage was already done, and her reaction was instant, eyes shining, lips quirking up, and suddenly, Madara felt extremely uncomfortable.

"Yes," she breathed, "Gods yes. Tobirama is just so... big, y'know? And I'm not even talking about his-"

He gagged.

A woman passed by this time, brown, spiky locks surrounded her face, red tattoos streaked beneath her eyes, and thin lips were pressed together. She wore light armor more suited to male shinobi, and she led a large canine along with her.

"-and he made those kage bunshin, he called them? Yeah, imagine using that to-"

"Six," Madara quickly commented, taking the opportunity to escape this conversation, "It works well with her because she's an Inuzuka."

Mito cut herself off, sending him an unimpressed glance, "You literally just complimented her. Eight, just look at those legs," she argued.

Thank goodness that worked, though Madara was pretty sure she knew what he was doing.

"Six point five."

"Eight!"

As they debated, Hashirama passed by in somewhat of a hurry, seeming comically terrified. Madara knew he was avoiding paperwork with just one look, but his eyes couldn't help but linger.

"Ten..." came out unconsciously.

Mito looked to see who Madara was looking at, and proceeded to send him the most knowing look he'd ever gotten. He hated it.

"So that's your ten..."

Then Tobirama passed, presumably chasing after his brother.

"And there's _my_ ten!" She sprang out of her seat, running after her fiancé and waving as she went, "Thanks for the meal, Madara, I'llcatchyoulater-!"

And then she was gone, leaping onto snowy rooftops, almost slipping on one. Sometimes, he wondered how she was a shinobi.

...Hashirama was a ten?

He thought of his friend's smile, his laughter, that chakra. Big, reaching, green leaves and strong muscles that called upon them. Tanned skin, long hair, his stubbornness and passion. He seemed to always make Madara warm in his chest, and his cheeks heated up a bit at the thoughts of his friend's features.

Definitely a te-

There was a crash. Madara's (thankfully empty) cup was shattered on the floor.

Naruto!

And just like that, Hashirama was pushed into the back of his mind.

* * *

 

Madara didn't understand why Hashirama had invited him along with him and his brother for drinks. First off, Hashirama knew that Madara didn't drink much, and second, he knew that his brother and Madara weren't the closest.

"Madara, my little brother's getting married!" Hashirama almost sang, "And he actually  _likes_ her! I'm so glad!"

Hashirama did most of the drinking, as his brother discretely made sure he didn't take enough for it to hurt the next morning. The bar was rather crowded, but Hashirama remained audible over the noise.

"I know," Madara replied.

"And Tobi, I'm so proud of you! You're gonna get it on with the Uzumaki princess!" he cheered on his brother.

Tobirama flushed a little bit.

"Okay, Anija. That's enough," he chided, turning away.

"It's something to celebrate!" Hashirama protested, waving with his arms.

"I don't want to think of Tobirama like that," Madara took a longer drink from his cup, thinking of the rather detailed plans Mito rambled about. He shuddered.

"You got your eye on anyone, Madara?" Hashirama turned to him.

Madara just gave him a look.

A raincloud appeared over Hashirama's head.

"...me too."

But then his friend suddenly brightened.

"Don't worry, Madara! We can grow old and lonely together!" he wrapped his arms around his friend's abdomen, and things were sunshiny again as if nothing had ever saddened him.

"Hashirama! Get off!" Madara yelled. Hashirama was touchy, yes, but at least he had some boundaries when he didn't drink.

Tobirama's brow twitched.

"Anija, is that necessar-"

Tobirama's glass shattered suddenly, shards spreading out across the floor. A brief silence filled the bar at the commotion. The Senju's face scrunched in dissatisfaction, knowing instantly what had happened.

Madara laughed. He had never been prouder of his cats.

* * *

 

Contrary to popular belief, Tobirama Senju did in fact have feelings. He had dreams. He had fears. He had hopes. He wanted his brother happy and safe. He feared that after all their hard work, this village might fail. He even hoped to settle down one day. (And that day was fast approaching, thanks to the Uzumaki clan.)

So when Tobirama woke up with a rapidly beating heart and thought of fear and suffocation and blood, he reached for the puffy scarf his brother gifted him and went outside to calm down. This night was a particularly bad one, despite the fact that he only remembered the color red and the clash of steel.

A grown cat stood before him, eyes looking right into his. Its face was scarred along the right half. In the dim lighting of the night, it appeared to be black with patches of white scattered all over. It didn't meow or anything, only stared.

The cat stayed with him until Tobirama felt he could sleep again, and the night passed in silence.

The cat didn't live with the Senju brothers, but he was around, and Hashirama made sure to prepare a bowl for 'Tobi' every morning, letting the feline enter their home every day.

The cat's multicolored eyes would stare into nothing, a lot of the time. Then he would blink and shake his head before walking out of their home. He was a strange cat, but not a bad one. (Unlike some glass shattering menaces.)

...Maybe Madara had the right idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been wanting to add in Meowbito but I just couldn't find a good spot for him until now... Did I get his personality right? That's probably the hardest thing in this chapter. Also, you know that one scene in Spongebob where he's like, "you like krabby patties, don't you, Squidward?" Yeah, that's the expression I pictured Mito with after Madara said 10, lmao. I tried drawing for a few hours until this one came out kind of nice. I was digging the last pic I drew so I tried for a similar look this time. Ideas for things to draw would be cool! Anyways, thank you all for your awesome comments so far! Comments, suggestions, and the like are always welcome!! ♥♥♥


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Madara's birthday. Sakura kicks butt, and Mito thinks it's hilarious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, I'm posting this so late in the day... Sorry bout that :0

It was cold, but not quite freezing at the Uchiha camp. A large bonfire sat in the center of the base to warm the Uchiha that couldn't tolerate the cold. That was to say, all of them.

"...You're old," Takumi stated.

"Shut up!" Madara yelled at his brother, but he had already run off.

"Nii-san is old! He's an old man!" he called out as he continued running thoughout their home.

"I knew it! He acts like an old man already!" Masaru announced.

"And he looks like one, too! I can already see the wrinkles!" Kenta chimed in.

"Don't worry, Aniki, you aren't old," Izuna patted his shoulder.

Then he plucked out one of Madara's (perfectly black) hairs.

"But what's this? A grey hair?!" Izuna then gasped dramatically. 

Traitor.

Madara chased his brothers around the Uchiha base until all five of them were laughing like children and not shinobi, panting for breath and lying on the ground.

"Happy birthday, Mada-nii," Kenta finally said.

"Hn," and Madara grinned.

Even if they couldn't do anything too special to celebrate, being at war, it was nice to have someone remember.

There, surrounded by his brothers, Madara had never been warmer.

* * *

 

Madara woke up abruptly and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. It wasn't from the cold.

A chakra signature raced towards his bedroom, an intruder. They were meters away.

Madara sprung up, already performing hand signs. An assassination attempt was bound to happen eventually. But who did this person think they were?! He was feared for a reason.

Horse, Serpent, Ram,

"Kakashi," he nudged the oldest cat. The feline's claws were already out and his pupil was narrowed to a slit. The intruder was close.

The trio of kittens had already blended into the shadows, chakra hidden. A surprise attack.

Monkey, Boar, Horse-

And then Hashirama burst into his room, only to be greeted by cat claws, electric hairballs, and almost getting his face burned off. 

Damn, Madara should've recognized that signature! He was still out of it for obvious reasons. Like his cats, Madara needed to sleep in every morning, and Hashirama interrupted his schedule.

"Happy birthday, Madara!" he grinned, as if he wasn't almost killed.

Of course Hashirama could handle the attacks, being who he was. He didn't need to worry about injury.

Madara checked his window. The sun was barely out, only just peaking over the horizon, the sky was littered in clouds and branches swayed with freezing gusts of wind. Then he turned to his beaming friend.

"Why are you here? Now?" It was too early for this.

"Because we need to celebrate," Hashirama declared.

"The end of the year festival is in less than a week. Be patient and attend, if you're that excited to do something," Madara said. It had been years since he last celebrated something like a birthday.

Hashirama placed his hand on Madara's shoulder. It was really warm, but Hashirama's dark eyes pinning into his own stopped him from getting distracted. Those dark orbs were like jewels, shining brightly in the dim lighting of his room.

"You're important to me, and I want to enjoy your birthday with you," Hashirama stated, like it was a vow.

Looking into his eyes, Madara believed it.

Hashirama was always open with his feelings. Odd for a shinobi, but it was so very him. Madara's chest got all warm and fuzzy again.

* * *

 

Sakura wanted revenge. That much was obvious from the way her green eyes turned into slits and the way she stood, but she was going about it the wrong way. She'd chase after Naruto and Sasuke with death in her eyes, but the moment she was upon them, they'd disappear.

This time around, Tobirama's eleventh glass had shattered. He didn't even flinch at this point, he was that used to it. However, immediately following Naruto, or possibly Sasuke, the grey kitten popped into the office, growling lowly.

Sasuke and Naruto had a great taste in pranks, but the litter bomb was still prominent in Sakura's mind. At the sight of Naruto and Sasuke, her grey tail would sway faster, as if on the hunt.

Mito laughed behind her hand. These three were just too much.

The pranking duo was great at the shunshin, but Sakura, not so much. Green eyes narrowed in frustration, her target must have already departed.

"They're at it again, right, Sakura?"

Sakura hissed in anger.

"Aww, sweetie," she cooed, picking up the grumpy kitten and brushing her face against that fluffy little head. Sakura really was soft, her fur like silk.

"I've got a little technique here that I could teach you to get back at them... if you're interested," the princess suggested. She ignored the pointed Tobirama sent her. She knew he was just as invested in getting revenge on those cats, even if he didn't say it outright.

Her fuzzy little ears flickered, like she was saying 'I'm listening,' as her wide eyes locked onto Mito.

Mito would help her out, girl to girl.

* * *

 

It was Madara's birthday, and Hashirama wanted it to be great.

Konoha was cold that morning, but not too much snow was left over. The villagers seemed able to keep their cheer despite the cold. Some smiled their way, while others stared warily at his friend. He knew Madara hated it, but it wasn't something Hashirama could control.

Still, they would warm up to Madara eventually. He was a wonderful man, it would just take some time for everyone else to see it.

Both Hashirama and Madara wore heavier robes, but it was obvious that the cold affected the Uchiha more. His brow furrowed with every sweep of wind, so Hashirama stepped closer, hoping their proximity might discreetly help the Uchiha.

"Have you run out of cups yet?" he teased his friend. He knew the culprit had to be Naruto or Sasuke, as he'd caught the kittens reaching for Tobirama's glass one time.

"I switched to wood, something that won't instantly break the moment I take my eyes off of it," Madara replied.

"They're cute ones, aren't they?" he commented offhandedly. He knew they were Madara's soft spot, as long as he didn't press too hard.

"They are deadly ninneko and you'd best remember that," was his response.

Hashirama waited.

"...and they are adorable." his friend quickly muttered.

There it was. He grinned at the Uchiha. Bring up the cats and he'd mmediately soften up.

As they walked through the chilly village streets side by side, they passed by a newer restaurant that Hashirama had scoped out with his brother. He knew they had the one other thing Madara couldn't resist.

"Hey," he paused, "Let's stop here for lunch. I heard there's inarizushi-"

And Madara was dragging him off. By the hand. And yes, Hashirama noticed. After all, it was usually him taking Madara's hand, not the other way around. His fingers were cold, intertwined with his own, and Hashirama hoped he could warm him up. At least a little.

* * *

 

"Alright, Sakura! Show me what you've got!" Mito declared.

They stood in a partially decimated training ground. Rocks and boulders were crushed to pebbles and debris laid scattered around them, the earth was scarred and dead trees were uprooted, with dead branches thrown about.

It took a good couple hours to teach Sakura this great technique, which was quick progress for a cat. Tobirama had also insisted in being there. He claimed to be there for Mito, which was sweet of him, but she knew he also wanted to see Naruto and Sasuke get what was coming to them.

The feline built up chakra, letting it accumulate in her cheeks. With a drawn out meow that sounded almost like a 'Shannyaro!' she breathed out, and a beam of mud spun out in a rapid jet of transformed chakra, fast enough to hit a ninneko mid-shunshin. The stream hit a boulder in front of her, the blast powerful enough that it created a large crack in the rock. It was nowhere near as powerful as Mito's mud stream, but it was getting there.

Naruto and Sasuke were going to get just as dirty as Sakura had been.

A black and white cat hopped into field, waltzing up to Tobirama's legs, circling the man once over before jumping into the Senju's unprepared arms. Her fiancé fumbled with the cat beore settling the feline in an arm. Its multicolored eyes stared into nothing.

"Ah," Tobirama flushed, "this is Tobi. Hashirama named him," he held up the cat so Mito could get a closer look.

The cat was rather scarred, but he was still lovely, with one eye a pitch black, and the other almost lavender.

That was actually the cutest. Her boo was a cat dad, too.

* * *

 

They ended up making more detours than Hashirama had planned, but his friend was enjoying himself and he wouldn't interrupt that.

One store in particular had grabbed Madara's attention. It was a small shop that sold trinkets and the like, run by an elderly civilian couple. There was nothing too special about it, but Madara remained invested and Hashirama followed him inside. 

His friend browsed through their collections of brightly colored village-themed works before he picked up an ornament shaped like a leaf, with fire-like spikes surrounding it and sharp edges all around. Opposing colors, red, purple, and green painted the small thing. It was... actually kind of ugly, but Madara's eyes shone when he held it, and it made Hashirama inhale a little sharper.

He bought it for him as a present. Hashirama refused to _not_ get it for his friend. Hashirama didn't understand the appeal pf the thing, but it made his friend happy.

While they continued through more streets, Madara held the little trinket in his pale hand and looked at it. And then his lips curved into that one smile that felt so _real_ and it brightened up his whole face and made Hashirama's breath catch again. That familiar unnamed feeling revived in his stomach and it was so intense that camelias, red and white, blossomed around his feet. It felt like lightning. He couldn't help but stare, and his face heated up in the winter cold. He wanted to hold Madara and get a good look at that expression, and maybe-

They both tripped on newly sprung branches around their feet.

"Hashirama...!" his friend growled.

"Sorry, sorry," he chuckled sheepishly, tugging on the hair on the back of his head.

Madara's smile was gorgeous, and Hashirama promised himself to make him do it more.

* * *

 

This was no longer a joke. It was a pranking war. Kakashi had the right idea to hide. 

They unleashed horrors like no other, and everyone seemed to be caught in the crossfire.

Where there used to be layers of snow, there was now mud. 

Shadows leaped and pounced, and civilians and shinobi alike began to duck for cover, hoping to avoid hairballs, litter, and dirt. There was a hiss here, a yowl there, and both would always be followed by an explosion of more mud and fur.

Mito couldn't help the laughter that bubbled out of her chest, clutching her stomach in her fit.

"I love them! I love these cats!"

This was hilarious, because these were grown men and women, hiding from a cat war. It was just way too much.

Tobirama's face twisted in a half satisfied half horrified expression. She knew he wanted revenge for all the shattered glass, but maybe he hadn't thought through the consequences.

"Don't worry, dear. You still have my heart," she chuckled.

"I would hope so," he replied.

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. Even in his state of shock, he was still the sweetest, really.

Obito remained in her fiancé's arms, unwilling to move. His eyes watched the chaos in a faint amusement, laying back and watching the fireworks.

It made her laugh more, and she shifted closer to Tobirama to enjoy the show together.

* * *

 

The sun was beginning to set, but it was hard to tell once the heavier clouds formed. Thankfully, it hadn't snowed. Madara would have killed something if it had. Not because it was his birthday, but because he was so tired of seeing white everywhere. There was still a chill and they would have to head indoors soon before he got sick again.

He and Hashirama sat together side by side on a dry patch over the Hokage mountain. The village sprawled and flourished in front of them, and sometimes Madara still wondered how he had missed that. Bare branches would come back with even more green leaves in the next few months. He wondered if the village will have grown just as much by then, too.

Although, Madara noticed some of the rooftops were the wrong shade. Some buildings he recognized to be painted bright colors were instead a matching shade of dark brown. It was almost as if the village had been coated in ...mud?

Then Hashirama's hand curled around Madara's side, and he forgot about it.

Hashirama was especially touchy today. Madara would have pushed him off for it, but when Hashirama hugged him, he could just feel the heat from his friend's tanned body his heart leaped out of his chest. Whenever they touched, Madara's senses heightened, and it felt like electricity.

It was the weather that caused them to be so close, but he couldn't help but feel like it was something more. Something warm and explosive. Something breathtaking. He wanted more of it, regardless. Hashirama made everything warm and bright and wonderful, like his boundless optimism in everyone, his dreams bigger than any biju, his drive stronger than his chakra. He was endearing and sweet and even though he got in to trouble with his recklessness, Madara would never want it to change.

There were no stares here, just Hashirama.

He leaned into his friend and enjoyed the warmth a little longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Hashirama, you do realize you took Madara on a date, right??? Anyways, idk, I wanted something sweet, and Madara's b-day is December 24. :3 Also: I was planning on drawing a HashiMada pic, and then this happened, lol. So... How was it? All comments, feedback, ideas, and stuff are totally welcome!! ♥♥♥


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kittens clean up Konoha. Madara doesn't care anymore. Everyone's sleepy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your. Comments. Are. Great. :0 Thank you guys so much for commenting, they really do keep me going! :DDD (Uploaded a bit late again, oof D:)

The sheer paperwork the following day was enough to lock in Hashirama for the day, based on the sheer amount of complaints. A storm brewed above his head. These papers seemed endless. The one day he and Madara went out, the cats went to war. They hadn't even pranked people. They shot out jutsu all over the place, and while the felines at least seemed to have limits and avoided anything deadly, there was still one big problem.

Every nook and cranny of Konoha was now covered in mud and fur, and the complaints were instantaneous.

If Hashirama played his cards right(he usually lost, but that wasn't the point here), he could weasel his way out of some of it.

He silently apologized to his brother, but he was just so good at settling issues between clans, fixing civilian problems, and organizing shinobi missions and Hashirama just... wasn't. He sighed.

"Tobirama," he started.

"No. Don't give me that look, Anija."

"But..." he pleaded now.

"As Hokage, it is your duty to handle tasks directed your way."

"But you helped start it," he muttered.

It actually made Hashirama a little giddy that his brother did something... not quite his age, but less serious. His focus and diligence was a part of his personality, but it was great to see him be a little less careful. It meant Konoha was becoming what it was supposed to be. It meant their dream was real, and succeeding. It meant the shinobi here could relax, and his chest swelled with pride. Mito really was great for his brother.

His brother's brow twitched.

"Anija!"

...Tobirama didn't deny it.

* * *

 

"Follow my signature," Tobirama held out his hands, three pairs of eyes on him, blue, green, and black.

He was unsure if they understood, but it felt better than silently demonstrating a jutsu. Sasuke's eyes bored into him. He'd always had such odd eyes, were they always like that? They were that same dark obsidian, but it felt like at any moment they could change.

He went through the hand signs, taking his time to work through the jutsu. They were cats and couldn't perform proper hand signs, which were used to help guide and mold chakra. The kittens would have to learn by sensing and through demonstrations.

The final seal was completed.

Water erupted from the earth, spreading out in a wave, crashing against itself and splashes showered the group. This jutsu could easily wash away all the mud and dirt. Now, the cleanup would be handled by the cats, the real ones responsible for the mud.

The felines seemed impressed. Naruto gave a long meow in excitement, orange tail swaying back and forth. Sakura's pupils dilated. 

"You three will learn this. As well as..."

He bought his hands together.

Kage bunshin no jutsu!

Two copies of himself appeared in puffs of smoke, both wearing an utmost serious expression.

Now all three of the cats' eyes sparkled. 

"How about you give it a shot? You will use this jutsu to help clean up this mess," he instructed.

Because the reason for a muddy Konoha was in no way endorsed by him. Not all all.

He missed the evil grins they gave each other.

* * *

 

Madara couldn't believe this. He just couldn't. His cats were just... crazy all the time. They were tasked with cleaning up their mess, which Madara had learned was their fault from the copious amount of paperwork he had received the moment he got home the other night. He looked up towards the muddy Konoha rooftops.

Yes, they were still going at it. Mud was clearing quickly, and the cats did a good job. Except, they weren't aiming for the dirt. Instead, they were attacking each other with jets of water, and there were multiple of each cat. There were five or six Sasukes and Sakuras, and a good dozen Narutos. They were shooting strong beams of water at each other in great waves and Madara wasn't sure if this was better or worse than mud.

Villagers ran for cover, hoping to not be caught in the crossfire. Other brave souls used umbrellas to block the splashes of water from the rooftops.

Meows were followed by the crash of water, a snap, as if something big and wooden broke in half, and the holler of a clansmen. Finally, silence. The kittens must've crept back into the shadows, looking for a new battlefield.

As long as they didn't hurt themselves, Madara couldn't care less.

And hey, this entire section of the village was clean, so their mission was accomplished.

Something furry brushed against his leg and Madara jerked around, about to glare his offender to death, but it was just Kakashi. The big cat wore a tired expression in his single eye.

"Me too, Kakashi," he muttered, picking up the big cat.

The furry feline let out a low purr, and Madara tried and failed to resist scratching that one spot on the base of his tail. Kakashi always seemed to like that.

"You think they'll keep this up for long?"

Kakashi answered with an exasperated meow. Madara took it as a yes.

"Yeah, the dammed troublemakers."

The kitten trio could be trouble by themselves already. Who's bright idea was it to teach them how to make clones of themselves?

(In his personal office, Tobirama sneezed.

"Wear heavier clothes. You'll catch a cold, cutie," Mito chided, handing him a blanket.

"Of course. Thank you, Mito," he replied.)

Madara was invested in his cat's silent company until he felt it. A trickle, like an icicle, poked along his back. One, two, ten, more. The only thing worse than the cold was the stares, and there were a lot.

There were stares all around him, and more specifically on who was in his arms. He was in the street, holding and talking to his cat.

There went his reputation. He looked down at the cat in his arms.

Kakashi nuzzled closer, eyes closed in contentment.

They were all troublemakers, but their little faces were sweeter than anything. And besides, they were ninneko. Even if they were seen interacting with Madara, they were strong and could protect themselves. He held Kakashi closer, it wasn't like anyone could do anything about it, anyways.

It was still freezing out. He hoped the rest of his cats got the common sense to come inside once they got too wet. Being out here with the freezing gusts of wind, soaked in water... He shivered at the thought.

He just hoped that they wouldn't get sick. He was no longer above admitting that he was worried.

* * *

 

Kakashi was tired, watching his kittens all day took work, after all. He flopped onto his side, enjoying the sunlight on his fur as the sky was filled with blasts of mud, water, and smoke.

He must've dozed off, because the next thing he knew, a dripping wet Obito stood in front of the big cat, grumpy scowl on the feline's face. He never looked scary, no matter how much he wanted to be, especially considering the three kittens following closely behind him.

Kakashi looked back to the sky. Jutsu, fur, and meows were still shooting through the air. Then he looked back at the trio, who was still there, looking rather tired. Maybe it was a new technique.

His bandaged tail swayed upwards in greeting. Four tails waved back in response. The kitten trio quickly got settled away from Kakashi. They weren't killing each other and that was what was most important.

Obito hobbled closer to him and promptly laid down, daring Kakashi to move. 

He didn't. Obito was warm, after all, even when he was a little wet. He groomed the grumpy cat a bit. It always made Kakashi feel better when Sakura did it.

Then he felt a movement in the air. It wasn't Madara, so Kakashi turned, claws slowly coming out.

"Mind if I sit here?"

It was Hashirama. He always smelled like flowers and trees. Kakashi calmed down some, tail lowering and stance relaxing. He didn't really care, as long as the human wasn't too loud, like most others were.

The man plopped down against a tree, watching him fondly. Kakashi only briefly remembered him. He gave him treats a lot.

"You look so tired, Kakashi," he commented.

Kakashi blinked.

"You're good for him. Madara, that is. Even if you're a ton of paperwork," he sighed. Madara gave them food, and he was allowed to live with them. They were indeed good to him.

The long haired man began nodding off, and an exhausted Naruto found his way into his lap. Naruto always did warm up to others quickly, especially to Hashirama.

"You're so soft, Naruto," the man commented into his bright fur. Sakura and Sasuke weren't far off, and before long, the four of them were all asleep.

Kakashi cuddled Obito for the remainder of the day under jutsu-filled skies.

* * *

 

When Madara's cats failed to arrive home as the sky grew darker, he went to go find them.

He searched for those familiar chakra signatures, the crackle and pop of Sasuke, the flow of Sakura, the exciting spirals of Naruto, the tingle of Kakashi. He reached out his own chakra, encompassing the area around him to locate the signatures, and he did find them. He found several, but four were the most prominent, and he chased after those.

As he followed the chakra, which was further away from the village streets, he heard a crash in the distance, followed by meows in delight. It suddenly clicked to Madara.The clones had done their jobs the entire time while they all gathered here. Getting out of work, just like a certain someone he knew. 

After chasing after the chakra, he found a sleepy Kakashi nestled with a soaked Obito, and a sleeping Hokage leaning on a tree with the kitten trio snuggled around him. Sakura laid in his lap happily, Naruto clung to his pants, and Sasuke curled up near his friend's side. As for Hashirama himself, the man was snoring lightly, hair splayed over his shoulders, seemingly enjoying the heat of the kittens.

It made his chest kind of warm, just a little. He knew Hashirama liked them, but confirmation that his feline family and his best friend got along was just... nice. It was nice like the leaf trinket Hashirama got him. Nice like the way his cats surrounded him after a nightmare. Nice the way Hashirama's smike always seemed to warm him, no matter the weather. It was all nice, and a part of Madara wanted to join them.

But then another gust of cool wind blew and Madara shivered. They couldn't stay out here much longer. It was getting colder with the sun exiting the sky. He approached Hashirama, leaning down and stroking each kitten on his friend awake. Naruto's big blue eyes blinked drowsily. Sakura stretched and yawned. Sasuke rolled over.

It was adorable and he swiped them all up. Naruto climbed onto his head, still small enough to manage it. Sakura draped herself over Madara's right shoulder, and Sasuke hooked onto his left. Hashirama shifted, bothered from all of the commotion. Sometimes Madara wondered how he wasn't killed yet, with such a slow reaction time.

"Madara," he whined. His eye peeked open.

"If you want to stay and get sick out here, be my guest," he responded. Honestly, sometimes Hashirama was just so...

"No, it's cold. Madara, carry me," the Senju rolled over.

"No." 

His friend gave him a once over, a lopsided grin stretching across his face, dark eyes crinkling sweetly. Madara's heart sped up as he got lost in those eyes again.

"You care about them a lot," he stated, "you're very sweet, Madara."

How was Madara even supposed to respond to that? He was at a loss for words.

"I'll see you tomorrow," the Senju told him, standing up and setting a warm hand on his shoulder.

Hashirama looked like home, covered in cat fur and with a smile plastered on his face. Madara couldn't help but stare at his friend's retreating back as he went off towards his own home.

It wasn't until Sakura pawed at his ear that Madara realized he was still standing there.

"That's right. Thank you, Sakura," he told her, reaching around and scratching around her ears. The green eyes kitten enjoyed the attention, tail swaying from side to side.

He then went over to Kakashi, who was watching with his single eye open drowsily. Madara bent down and picked up the big cat into his arms, cradling the fluffy feline.

Obito stared, fur raised and claws drawn..

He knew that Obito didn't really like him, but he had always felt familiar. Madara was still drawn to him. He screamed 'blood,' his movements spelled 'Uchiha," but Madara couldn't place the sensation of familiarity until that moment, when the cat looked into his eyes. When black met black.

Alone and angry and spiteful. Claws almost always out. Eyes glaring. Scarred, dark, something almost feral.

He saw himself.

"You don't have to stay if you don't want to, but it's warmer inside, and you can dry off," he told the last cat.

He turned around, exiting the field.

Obito followed, and Madara wondered if his cats saved Obito the same way they saved him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naruto got his shadow clones back \\(>.<)/ Hooray! Also, I tried to make Nyakashi look extra floofy for this one, did it work?? Like, I just want to make sure :0 Anyways, Rip Madara's Reputation, probably won't be missed because it's cuter to be known as a cat dad anyways :3 Comments, feedback, suggestions, and stuff are always appreciated!!!! ♥♥♥


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto works on a new jutsu. Mito figures things out. Hashirama and Madara spar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another late one ;-; Sorry. Thank you for your own comments! They're all very helpful and give me good ideas and stuff! :D

Naruto was persistent.

The small tabby had been attempting to do something in the house, tossing around a small ball between his paws like it was the most important thing in the world. But Madara could sense more than just the cat's desire to play. Chakra surged into the kittens paws as he worked through the ball, swirling and potent. It felt like a torrent of wind, sucking in what was close, and it was odd, like no jutsu Madara had ever seen or felt. Then the ball burst outwards into little pieces from the pressure of the cat's chakra, but the energy the cat put into the ball was still there, swirling, spiraling, and strengthening. Then, it abruptly dispersed again, like it had every other time Naruto had tried it.

The kitten made a small hiss in frustration.

He went to hold his tabby's little front paws. Maybe he could help him along. He felt the chakra still there, just underneath the soft fur, and let his sharingan activate.

"Do it again," he told the kitten.

Naruto looked back at him, folded ears twitching in confusion, but (for once) he listened. The chakra swirled into existence once more, and it was easier to follow with his dojutsu activated. Madara tried to follow along and figure out what the feline had been trying to achieve. It felt powerful, whatever it was, and if it was done right...

He let his own wild chakra condense along with the flighty one of Naruto's. The center of the chakra ball felt like a strong pull, the pressure of energy almost too much to keep condensed in such a state. Two spheres were visible, Naruto's smaller one was a light cerulean, while Madara's as darker with a tint of purple. They had to constantly spiral their chakra in order to contain the jutsu into a ball, but it took too much focus to maintain, along with such a drain of chakra. As one, the chakra balls dispersed.

That was... a surprisingly advanced technique.

He narrowed his eyes at the cat.

"Who taught you this? You'll get chakra exhaustion if you keep this up," he implored Naruto.

He got a meow in reply, as expected.

"Was it Mito?"

Naruto wore an annoyed expression, almost saying 'what are you talking about, nyattebayo?'

"Tobirama, maybe?" 

Naruto blinked, slowly pulling his paws out of Madara's hands. 

"Or Hashirama?"

The kitten disappeared in a swirl of fur. Shunshin. Again. It took Madara a second to process what just happened, then he inhaled, closed his eyes, and let out a sigh.

He hoped the other cats weren't working on this jutsu as well. It required a hefty sum of chakra, and the thought of any of his cats pushing themselves hard enough to the point of chakra exhaustion worried him a little. Whatever that jutsu was, it was way too much for a kitten of Naruto's size, and even an older one like Kakashi or Obito might strain themselves with it.

"Don't tell me you're trying that, too, right, Obito?"

The black and white cat was still lying down in his home, enjoying the heat and shelter. He'd been quiet ever since he came in, but he was nicer than Madara thought he would be. Curled up in a little ball, Obito gave Madara a blank stare.

"Yeah, you're too smart to do that."

Obito went back to his cat nap.

* * *

 

Mito did not have the power to read minds. But it was easy to tell what Madara cornered her for when she looked past the furrow in his brow and the glare in his dark eyes. There was worry there, the kind that she'd seen before.

"No, Madara, I did not teach your cat a jutsu that will exhaust them."

His eyebrow twitched. Nailed it. He was too easy, sometimes.

"You have that concerned cat dad look again. Tobi gets like that sometimes, too. My sweetheart, not the cat," she told him. Tobirama wore the same expression when Obito didn't visit him in his office. It was cute and it made her want to hug him every time he did it.

"Now come on, there's a ramen place I heard opened up here and I've got some serious cravings," she said as she led him through the chilly village streets. Her stomach growled to prove her point. It'd been a long time since she had good ramen.

Madara's eyebrows pinched together.

"First off, don't compare me to him. Second, he named a cat after himself?" the Uchiha questioned.

"Well, _your_ ten named him that. He's a little cutie!" she told him. Obito really was great cat, even if he didn't like to play too much.

"Hashirama never told me he had a cat," he looked up.

He got that thoughtful expression again. She wondered if Madara knew he always made that face when thinking about his best friend, because his eyes would kind of soften and the stress lines would just... disappear. If he didn't know, Mito wouldn't tell him. It was sweet and she wouldn't let him hide it away.

It got her to thinking about Hashirama as well.

Hashirama was sweet, he really was. He could brighten up a room just by entering it, his emotions were always clear on his face, and he wasn't bad to look at, either. But... Tobirama was just better, in her opinion. He was rather strict, but it was still clear that he just wanted the best for the village and his brother. He had soft spots, and his smile was just breathtaking. He was great with seals, an absolute must on her list, and he always did that one little thing where his hand would brush against hers whenever he got nervous and it made Mito want to squeal... But she was getting off track.

To each their own.

They made it all the way to a small ramen booth with the name 'Ichiraku' spelled out on a long red banner. The little booth was managed by an elderly civilian woman and her son, and both seemed nice enough. The two ninja each grabbed a seat, however, Madara was still in that state, staring out into nothing. Mito ordered the special for the both of them. Double pork sounded great, right about now.

"We lost him," she joked to herself.

Madara blinked, turning to see the her watching him, a smile on her lips as she made her amusement clear. His eyes narrowed at her.

"What's with that look?"

She just smirked, her eyebrow raising up.

"Oh, nothing."

It was so obvious. She grinned wider.

"It isn't nothing!"

"Oh, it's nothing for now."

She wondered how long it would take for them to get together.

"Damn it, Mito...!" he glared sharply, eyes almost burning through her. It had no chance of effecting her, though. Not after she saw him with his cats. He was too sweet to be afraid of.

At that moment, a man passed, lacking hair in all the right places and having it in all the wrong ones, clashing colors galore.

...Damn, that man was unattractive.

"Oh, god, two!" she pointed out of the ramen shop.

"This isn't over, Uzumaki," he warned. At least he put it off, which Mito was greatful for, "Ugh, terrible. How could you even give him a two? You're too generous. Zero," he rated.

"Where would you even begin on how to fix that one?" she wondered aloud. The man really was a fashion disaster.

"The answer is you can't," he answered. Their eyes trailed after the man as he made his way into a nearby store.

"Untrue! Anyone can become a ten!" she turned on him. Although, after that display, she was a bit unsure, to be honest...

"No way, just look at him," he retorted.

"Yes way! If you just change that outfit..." yeah, she could see it. If they could just change a few things, that man would be hot as hell.

"It's impossible. That man is a lost cause," the Uchiha denied.

Two bowls were set in front of them, steam wafting from the freshly cooked soup. Mito grabbed her chopsticks and inhaled her noodles. This ramen was surprisingly good.

"Okay, just bear with me here, okay? Picture shaving it all off. Bald isn't a bad look if you do it right! Right?" her waved widely. Some of her broth sloshed, and she had to quickly catch herself before she let even a drop spill.

Madara shook his head. 

"No. Just, no. Bald would look worse with a face like that. There is nothing he can do."

Now that was just mean. She frowned at him.

"Don't give me that look!" he shouted, "Maybe he could, I don't know, put some make-up on and the hair is salvageable if you just trim the sides a bit more," he went on.

Madara was nice once one got to know him. She grinned.

* * *

 

"All of you are shinobi of Konoha, and you need to start acting like it!"

Kakashi's tail swayed. 

"Yes, I understand you had no part in this, but we need to be clear."

Naruto rolled onto his back, Sakura lying on top of her friend. Two pairs of bright eyes looked to the Senju. Sasuke gave him a sleepy glance.

"Now, with that said-"

A certain clan head came storming into the office, seeing his four cats and making a face.

"No, Madara, I did not teach your cats overpowered jutsu," Tobirama sighed. Mito had already warned him, bless her.

Madara was absolutely silent. Tobirama wasn't sure if that was better or worse. He just went up to his cats and gave each one a once over like a protective mother hen. He checked their paws, their teeth, their ears, their eyes. He lifted them individually, as if their weight would tell him something. Then he reached out and ran his hands over each cat dutifully, like they were the most important things in the world. Naruto pressed closer to his hands, Sakura gave one a lick, Sasuke sniffed them, and Kakashi did a little blink with his eyes.

Tobirama glanced away. It felt a bit private.

When the Uchiha calmed down, he turned to Tobirama, speaking lowly.

"You better not, if you know what's good for you," he said. Then he turned around, exiting and taking a left.

"And neither did Anija!" Tobirama called out after him.

Tobirama saw the Uchiha twitch before he was fully gone from view. He was glad the Uchiha had become a lot more agreeable, but honestly, the man went crazy the moment his cats were involved in something.

"Now, as I was saying. You have all been filed as official ninneko, and as such, you shall receive these to symbolize your positions."

The cats were still watching the exit, where Madara left. And after he'd just gotten their attention!

He pulled out four hitai-ate, each with the Konoha leaf etched in. The shine of the metal was enough to gain back their attention.

* * *

 

Hashirama darted deeper into the woods, letting himself be surrounded in his element.

Madara leapt for the trees and gave chase. It may have been his friend's territory, but a fire strong enough could burn through any wood.

He breathed out a fireball, flames quickly flying towards its target. A wall of earth rose from the ground to protect the man. The Hokage moved out of the way before the jutsu could completely disperse, ready for Madara when he came following up through the spiral of flame. The clash of a scythe meeting steel rang through their ears.

Both weapons went flying, but Madara didn't fall back. Rather, he ran towards his opponent, hoping to catch him off guard with the sudden change from armed to weaponless. He got a good kick in to his side, sending Hashirama flying. The man hit a tree, slumping over.

And then he turned into wood. Another clone.

He felt him closing in from behind!

Madara spun himself around and was able to just stop a fist from hitting his ribs, but the force of the blow still sent him back, soaring through the air. Before he could readjust himself, a wooden beam caught the back of his foot while he was still in midair, causing him to twirl at the wrong angle and find himself lying back down, wood surrounding him. Hashirama stood above him, foot on his wrist, hands ready to summon more jutsu.

"Yield?"

Madara could push up and try to burn though the wood, but his friend left no openings. Madara didn't feel like getting his wrist broken, either, even if Hashirama could fix it later.

"Hn," and the foot was removed, a body landing down beside him.

Hashirama was close. He could hear his pounding heartbeat. That rich chakra enveloping the two of them. His heavy pants. Those dark eyes shut. A light sheen of sweat over his skin. 

Madara was just as tired out. Tingles of pain from the fight buzzed through his body. Only Hashirama could match him, tire him out to the point where his back laid on the ground, and only he could do the same for his friend.

He decided that now was a good time to get that one thing off of his chest.

"You have a cat?" he asked.

Knowing Hashirama, his cat would be just as friendly as the man himself. He could picture it, a big, fluffy thing with big ears and a long tail. He or she would love to cuddle, that much was a given, and Hashirama would give the cat plenty of love. Madara kind of wanted to be a part of that, the way Hashirama was so familiar with his cats.

Something in his chest pounded at the last sentiment.

"Not really, no. Why...?"

Madara was confused. Had Mito been mistaken?

"Mito mentioned something to that effect. Tobi might ring a bell?"

"Ah, Tobi! He's a stray, a cute one, though! He comes in the mornings and then heads out later in the day."

He paused.

"...He reminds me a bit of you, actually."

"Does he?"

Hashirama gave him that one smile again, the one with an openness unbecoming of a ninja, the one that never failed to make his insides warm all over.

"Yeah. You actually met him before. The black and white one. He was sleeping with Kakashi?"

It clicked in his head.

"That's Obito."

"You named him Obito?" Hashirama rolled to face him, "you really are the cat man, now."

"Shut up! It's a better name than Tobi! Seriously, why name a cat after your brother?"

He would never have named his cats after his own brothers, even if they were still around. It was unoriginal. But then again, both of them were rather bad with names.

"It was incidental! He would have been a Tobi even if Tobirama's name was different!" Hashirama exclaimed.

"Really?" Madara's eyes narrowed. He doubted it.

"Really," Hashirama swore.

They fell into a comfortable silence.

They both laid on the ground, facing the branch-obscured sky. Even though it was still cold out, he could feel the heat of Hashirama's body next to his, and he realized that he didn't want to leave. He wanted to shift closer to Hashirama, to look into those eyes. He wanted to see if he made Hashirama feel this same way. If he made his heart beat out of his chest from adrenaline, and something else. If Madara was able to warm him up. If he wanted to lay there forever, too.

Then a ball of wind chakra in a swirling condensed ball shot over the sky, past the two of them. A crash sounded in the distance, where the jutsu must have landed. It was a familiar ball of energy. Then a meow echoed through the forest.

"Naruto...!"

It was that jutsu again! Madara got off the forest floor, spotting the tabby standing in front of his fellow felines, doing some kind of victory dance. He picked up the celebrating kitten, making sure to inspect absolutely everything. He took notice of the new shiny forehead protector loosely tied around Naruto's neck. It was black, a good color choice for such a brightly colored kitten. Similar headbands were tied around his other cats as well. It was about time they got their hitai-ate. But on a more serious note, Naruto's chakra wasn't dangerously low, luckily. That jutsu was just so... strong. Madara wasn't sure he liked that his kitten invented such a thing.

But the tabby looked so accomplished, tail swishing in excitement, big blue eyes gleaming, it was hard to stay mad.

"What am I going to do with you?" he muttered. Naruto licked his nose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao Naruto be like: I know how my own jutsu works, nyattebayo. Also, I really wanted them to have headbands on!!! It just sounds really cute, idk. And I REALLY wanted to draw Mito and Madara doing the Excalibur face when they saw that guy. I HAD to do it, I'm sorry XD In other news, I saw a fox the other day and mistook it for a cat ;0; Anyways, all suggestions, feedback, comments and stuff are greatly appreciated, like, I love comments! :D ♥♥♥


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to get cleaning. The cats don't help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still trying to post once every 2 days, but once every 2-3 might just end up being a thing, rip ;-; Anyways, thank you everyone for your comments! They always warm my heart! ♥

The morning light shined through the window and right into Madara's eyes. He hated when that woke him up. Still, he was awake now.

The new year had always been a great event for all clans, really. A new year meant they had survived, that they endured through the fights and war and blood and death. This time around was the first new year for the village. He wondered if the festival would be bigger this time, compared to the small celebrations the Uchiha clan had managed to do in the past.

It was tradition for Madara to clean the house, but his home was always so bare that all he'd need to do was simply dust around the corners and everything would be clean. He supposed this year would be roughly the same, but at least he got to see the new year with his new housemates. The same ones that were curled around him as he woke surprisingly early on the last day of the year.

Naruto splayed out over his side, and his hand moved down to brush through the soft orange fur. The cat rolled onto his side in bliss. He was a little troublemaker, but he was so peaceful when he was asleep, it was hard to believe he caused as much havoc as he had.

Sakura, the quiet girl, snoozed by his chest. She was the quietest of the trio, but if she was woken too early, she was a terror.

As for Sasuke, the small black kitten was tucked contently next to Madara's head. The kitten had always liked to stay by his face, and it made Madara comforted that he was always in sight, sleeping away. He stroked Sasuke's black fur, enjoying the quiet company.

As for Kakashi, he was stalking around the house. He was getting a bit restless, and Madara would have to let him outside before he got too antsy.

The covers were warm, and Madara was reluctant to get up. But he had things to prepare for, so he enjoyed the kittens' warmth for a little while longer before Kakashi's scratches against his door told him it was time to get up.

* * *

 

There would have been no point in ridding his home of all the cat fur on everything if his cats would instantly cover it up again. Therefore, he had a plan.

He pulled out a small silver comb, flaring his chakra in a few pulses. Four cats emerged from their hiding spots, and he picked up the orange tabby first.

Naruto took a while to clean. He kept shifting and moving around once Madara had gotten him in his lap. The kitten was distracted by one thing or the other and leapt out to investigate, causing Madara to have to track him down.

"Naruto, I promise this won't take long," he told the kitten as the ninneko hid under Madara's desk.

He earned a jet of water to the face for his efforts, getting his hair soaked in the process. The cat backed up more, seemingly laughing at Madara's expression.

"Come here, you!" He lunged for the ninneko as he dashed away. The other cats watched on, enjoying the show while huddled up together for warmth.

Naruto dashed from one room to the next, leading Madara on a wild chase through his own home. The cat got a good run out of it, finally lying down, tuckered out enough to lay down for the rest of his grooming session.

When he was finally able to hold the kitten to brush through the tabby's coat, Naruto ended up looking fluffier than usual, and Madara had a small ball of orange fur to show for his hard work. He took the next kitten.

Sasuke took a while. Since he had him in his lap, Madara decided to give the kitten a quick check up. Not because he was in bad shape, but Madara wanted to make sure everything was fine with the feline. After all, Sasuke's fur was a dark black so Madara had to take a closer look when it came to the kitten's health. Madara went over his ears, went through his fur, and found nothing wrong. But he might've held the cat too long, as Sasuke began to squirm when Madara looked him over for too long. He quickly got to brushing the kitten after that. He didn't want a repeat of Naruto.

Sakura was almost always cleaning herself and her friends. When Madara scooped her up, she was fine for the most part, but the Uchiha was able to get those spots that even she couldn't reach. He made quick work of it, running a hand over her grey fur when he was done. She gave him a long purr in thanks, and Madara scratched around her raised ears.

Kakashi just plopped himself in Madara's lap when it was his turn to be groomed, and that was when Madara realized something. 

Kakashi was big.

There was just so much fur he had to comb through, but he did his best to keep things light and gentle on the bigger knots of fur. Kakashi looked comfortable, enjoying the attention, tail swaying side to side in wide, slow arcs in contentment.

Madara took his time. This couldn't be rushed, after all.

* * *

 

"Uh, Uchiha-san!"

The same Senju boy that gave him treats in the streets a while back now stood in front of his house.

"What is your business here?" he asked the boy, crossing his arms.

The boy looked nervous. His eyes darted around, avoiding eye contact, but it wasn't from fear of the sharingan, only anxiety.

"H-he was so nice to me and I... I wanted to, uh, bring him something because he protected me that one time and I thought it would be cool because, cats are cool, you know? So-," the kid rambled, looking in every other direction except ahead.

"Out with it," he ordered. It was cold out, he didn't want to stay out too long in his lighter clothes and damp hair.

The boy quickly straightened, looking up into Madara's visible eye. He was certainly braver than some veteran shinobi.

"Can I see your cat? The gray one! I want to thank him," the kid blurted out.

The boy's eyes looked to fill with tears at even the slightest hint of rejection. Madara didn't feel like dealing with some sobbing brat on his doorstep.

"Hn. Fine-wait, take off you shoes!" Madara called after the jumpy boy. The kid was already down the hall and in the main room of the Uchiha head's home.

He better not have tracked any dirt inside. Madara walked in after him.

Kakashi was chasing around Sasuke and jumped into a tackle. The two cats became a big swirling ball of fluff and fur, having the time of their lives. He gently pried the big cat off of the smaller feline.

"Kakashi, you have a visitor," he muttered to the silver cat.

The cat's single eyes blinked, looking at the boy in complete disinterest. He then let out a quick meow, almost sounding like 'Yo.' The boy looked a little bewildered.

"Ah, no... That's wasn't him," the child looked down, avoiding Kakashi's gaze.

"You said he was the grey one!" Madara retorted.

Sakura came around the corner with a big yawn, blinking a few times.

"That's him!"

The child pointed frantically at the cat. Then he reached around, fumbling with a small cotton bag, and pulled out a treat. Madara could see the misunderstanding.

" _Her_ name is Sakura," Madara corrected.

"Ah, whoops. H-here, Sakura-chan." He laid the treat on the floor, backing away as if she was a queen and he was some lowly servant. The kitten's wide green eyes took in the boy for a while, staring, and the Senju shifted under her gaze. Then, she walked up to the treat, accepting the offering and grabbing it in her mouth.

The boy still looked longingly at her, fingers pressing against each other idly.

"You can pet her," Madara sighed. Anything that calmed this kid down.

The boy was immediately upon Sakura. He ran his hands lightly over the grey kitten, dark eyes bright in wonder. Sakura guided him, moving around to the places she liked to be pet. Around the sides of her face, her sides, and behind that one grey ear. When Sakura decided enough was enough she made a turn and pawed at the boy's hand to stop him. The brat's face was bright in happiness. Whatever Sakura did with the kid, she was now a deity in his eyes.

He was a little proud of her. She was already making allies.

When the boy was done, he ran back outside to an Uchiha child similar in age. The Senju began rambling about his 'amazing encounter' with Sakura, waving his hands around wildly. The other boy whacked him over the head, but Madara could tell he held back.

"Oww..." the kid gripped his head.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" the Uchiha asked his friend. (Kagami, Madara remembered later.) 

They both moved to face him directly.

"T-thank you, Madara-sama!" The Senju said. He smiled as brightly as the other day, missing tooth and all.

"Hn," Madara looked away. He wasn't very good with children.

They both bowed to him and then turned around. Their voices drowned into the rest of the bustle. Madara wondered when the clans began getting along so well.

* * *

 

The house was not as barren as Madara had initially thought. Cat toys were strewn about, the usual books and papers were shoved around (Madara knew it was Sakura. She liked to push things around to find hiding spots.), and to top it all off, cat fur littered every little corner.

"You need to help clean," Madara told the group.

Three and a half pairs of eyes looked up to meet his. Sasuke, their spokesperson, tiled his head and let out a soft meow.

"Yes, I know you can only do so much, but you need to do your part to make this work," he said, pressing a hand to his forehead.

The four begrudgingly agreed, a chorus of meows chiming in affirmation. Madara pulled on his dark gloves and got to work. He cats were close behind, ready to dig out all the dirt in their home.

Madara found a large pile of bones hidden behind his bookshelf. They were all crammed together into a big ball, and Madara wrinkled his nose.

"Is that where you've been stashing the bones, Kakashi?!"

The silver cat's long meow could be heard even from the other room, where the big feline was.

Sakura swept some clutter under his dining table, as if the shelter of the tabletop would hide it away forever.

"Don't hide those things, Sakura. I need to clean those up!"

The grey kitten just huffed and went over to find other things to add to her collection.

Then, the house's walls were soaked as a pressurized beam of water pressed along all sides of the house. Luckily for Madara, he had never hung things up, but the walls were still in a bad state, now.

"No, Naruto! Water jutsu are not allowed in the house!" he scolded the kitten.

Naruto just made a face at him, tail swishing back and forth in boredom. He turned around and went back to the cat toys, playing with them instead of properly picking them up and putting them away. Sasuke went over to his friend and picked up one of the toys into his mouth, bringing it over to an organized pile of cat toys.

"And Sasuke! ...Actually, you're doing good. Keep it up." he told the black kitten.

Sasuke's little tail sprung up at the praise. Naruto twitched at the praise his friend got, leaping into the center of the room and building up chakra.

Madara's hair then flew back, whipping around him rapidly. Sasuke's fur was also blowing around, the kitten digging his claws into the ground to keep his position. Sakura blinked.

"Wha-? No wind jutsu, either, Naruto!" he protested, but to no avail. The jutsu that the kitten used swept everything around, all items that had been painstaking organized now laid in messy piles. The toys Sasuke sorted were all over the room again. Sakura's mountain of miscellaneous objects toppled over. A couple scrolls fell in the wreckage.

Despite his efforts for the new year, his house ended up being messier than it originally was. However, there was a distinct lack of cat fur from what Madara was able to remove. He sat down by his door, taking in the state of his home. It was messy and it was disorganized. Then he looked over at Naruto's deep blue eyes again. The kitten's happiness was palpable. Madara looked back at his house. It wasn't clean, but it wasn't as barren and lonely as it had been before. It wasn't a simple dusting over like he thought it would have been. It was a group effort that had crashed and burned. At least they had tried.

When Kakashi climbed on top of his chest, kneading into his shirt, Madara just ran his hand through the soft, silver fur.

* * *

 

"And then Tobirama held my hand!" Mito finished her tale.

The festival was near, and the village reflected it. Stalls were set up along each street, waiting to be filled. Despite the cold, everyone was in good spirits, preparing for different events to be held. Shinobi carried off scrolls and storage seals. Civilians prepared meals for the next day, and the world was bustling.

"Isn't Tobi just the best?" he asked her. He already knew the answer, though.

"Absolutely, you know? Sweetest thing on the planet! Madara doesn't understand..." she whined.

Hashirama nodded along to show that he was still listening. There was to be a big festival the next day, and there were still things Hashirama had to see to in order to make sure things went smoothly. Security, events, inventory. He couldn't put it all on his brother! It was a first for Konoha, and Hashirama wanted it to be great. Mito tagged along, wanting to spend some time with him, but once the topic of his brother came up again, it became a one sided conversation.

"Those little tattoos on his face... He told me they weren't seals! Do you think he'd let me tinker with then, just a little bit? And speaking of that..." his future sister-in-law continued.

Her whole face lit up at the mention of his brother. And good for Tobirama! He deserved to have someone who liked him for who he was. Hashirama could see that his brother was happy, and he was glad that it was someone bright like Mito that caused it.

"...and I know he has a nice ass, but lady, paws off! That's just rude!" Mito growled at this part in her most recent story.

Still, Hashirama may have tuned her out, just a little! There were some things he didn't want to hear about his little brother...

Two boys, one a Senju child he recognized and an obviously Uchiha boy walked past them in the street. Hashirama caught part of their conversation.

"See, I told you he wasn't mean!"

"I-I wasn't scared! He let me meet Sakura. She's the one that saved me that one time!"

"Let's see Sakura-chan together next time! I'm sure Madara-sama would let you over, again, and I could tag along!" 

Their voices drowned into the rest of the conversation that filled Konoha's streets, but Hashirama was still thinking about their words.

It was Madara they were talking about.

Hashirama let himself smile. Madara had always been a kind man, and if he heard right, those cats really were bringing it out. For Madara to be more accepted by the village, for his friend to be appreciated by everyone as much Hashirama appreciated him...

He wondered how Madara felt when whatever had happened, happened. Did it make him happy, make his whole being fill with joy? Or did he brush it off, making that one frown whenever he was trying to figure something out. Did he see this village as his home yet? Hashirama pictured the small smile Madara sometimes made. Would he grin like that, knowing that the village saw him for the wonderful man he was?

Bright dandelions trailed behind him, and he didn't notice the look Mito sent him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The thought just kind of hit me for this chapter so this happened :D Just wanted a bit more time between Madara and his cats. :3 And Sakura has an admirer. I really wanted to sneak Mito saying 'Tobi has a nice ass' somewhere in this story. Mission accomplished! But yeah, thank you for your awesome comments last chapter! All comments, suggestions, and feedback are most certainly welcome!! ♥♥♥


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madara enjoys the New Year Festival with Hashirama. The cats chill. Tobirama has a good time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's kinda mushy. :0

Madara went to visit his brothers first thing in the morning. Their graves weren't really moved to Konoha, but there was a small memorial set up in honor of the lives lost throughout the constant war. It was a collection of stones, names etched over all visible parts of the rocks. That was where Madara went.

Dressed in his simple morning clothes, it was still very much cold out. Light gusts of wind carrying chilly air breezed past him, but Madara withheld shivering. He wanted to speak to them. That was, if they could see or hear him at all.

"There is to be a festival today," Madara said and glanced around. While it was the first day of the new year, he had gotten up very early. The sun was hardly rising, and the sky was still very much dark. However, buildings were there. He could picture the people that would later fill the streets. He felt the chakra of the many lives around him, low pulses, asleep.

"It marks a new start for this village. And it's a real one. The Uchiha are safe and happy, for now," he reassured.

He thought about how his clan seemed to settle in relatively well. About how the children wore smiles, about how the elders were surprisingly accepting. About how the complaints he received were related to the welfare of Konoha, rather than suspicions. 

"It's better than I'd expected it be," he confessed to all of them.

He was answered with silence.

He wished they could've seen it. Seen the sheer size of what they'd built. Seen the children learn to fight properly in a safe setting, rather than being thrown into battlefields at ages much too young. More chilly air blew, pushing past bare tree branches, and Madara had to wrap his arms around himself this time.

Something light and ticklish brushed against his leg, but this time, Madara didn't flinch. He bent down to pick up the big cat into his arms, balancing the new weight against himself. Kakashi's bandaged tail was moving back and forth, subdued.

"This is Kakashi." He briefly smiled. "You've really rubbed off on me, Izuna."

Kakashi blinked at the shrine. Maybe he saw something.

When he stroked through the silver fur, the ninneko's one eye seemed to stare right through him, almost glazed over in sadness. Had Kakashi had any friends, aside from Obito and the kittens, before Madara met him? Had he lost them, too? He held the silver feline a bit closer, whether to comfort the cat or himself, Madara didn't know. The Uchiha stayed there a little longer in silence. When he felt the rest of the village begin to wake, the feline pawed at him, reminding him to get inside and change into something warmer.

* * *

 

Madara left with the Hashirama, dressed in brighter robes than usual. That ended up leaving Kakashi in charge of his kittens. 

Sakura snuggled up by his side. He appreciated the warmth, and was about half asleep. He and Sakura kept track of the other two felines.

Naruto and Sasuke were up and about their home. The two kittens were play fighting again, leaping from desk to bookshelf, hiding in corners, forming jutsu. Crashed followed after each of them. It was quite loud, and it prevented Kakashi from fully falling asleep. Naruto easily pooled his chakra, forming eight clones of himself in a puff of smoke. Sasuke ducked into a corner, building up a water cannon. (Hadn't Madara mentioned something about water jutsu in the house?)

Sasuke fired rapid bursts of water at the clones, dispelling each of them until only the real tabby was left. The walls were left soaked again, a darker color than they should have been. When the orange kitten was exposed, he leapt towards his opponent, meowing a battle cry, landing on top of the black kitten. Sasuke let out a hiss in annoyance.

The tackle ended up forming a small crater in the main room, right in the middle of the floor. The black and orange kittens laid in the center, both tired out by their battle.

The deep dent was obvious in the wood, and Kakashi wondered how much Madara would care. Maybe Kakashi could fill the hole with that mud jutsu...

Maa, too much work to clean up that mess. He yawned, getting up and heading outside, and the kittens following behind shortly afterwards. It wasn't his problem.

* * *

 

"It should be around here, somewhere," Hashirama told him.

It was getting loud, and Madara wanted to settle a little further out. The festival had gone into full swing once the sun was up in the sky. The streets grew extremely crowded, and it was getting hard to move around. Vendors handed out treats to children, who happily accepted them. Some couples toured through the streets aimlessly. Shinobi bantered and others kept guard. The chatter of everything was cheerful and bright. He saw Uchiha spread put, mingling with other clans. Inuzuka, Nara, Sarutobi, more. It left him feeling pride every time he saw it.

A festival of this size was a first for Konoha, and based solely on the sheer magnitude of this village-wide celebration, it wouldn't be the last.

Madara was led through these joyful streets by the hand. Hashirama's hand to be exact. It was hard for Madara not to notice, when he held his own hand so firmly, and it was so warm.

"Here it is!" Hashirama's voice cut off his thoughts.

The two stood before a long stand. Brightly colored circles lined a wooden wall, and a single clerk stood at the main counter of the stand. Large piles of kunai and shuriken sat behind the worker, and Madara could immediately tell what this was for.

"Hashirama." Madara looked at his friend.

"Hm?" The Senju replied.

"We are shinobi," he stated.

"It's made for shinobi," Hashirama said nonchalantly.

"No." The targets were stationary, for god's sake!

"Sounds to me like you think you'll lose." A challenging glint caught in the Hokage's eyes.

Like Madara would ever turn down a challenge. His eyes narrowed, and Hashirama's eyebrow quirked up.

"Are you in?" his friend asked, eyeing the brightly colored targets.

"You're on." Madara glared at the wall.

The booth keeper looked between the two of them, sweating a bit.

"H-hokage-sama! Uchiha-sama! It's on the house."

Like hell it was.

"Nonsense," Madara barked, dropping a good amount of yen onto the counter.

"I hope you're ready to lose, Hashirama," he said, turning to glare at his friend.

Hashirama smirked.

"Are you sure about that?" He picked a pebble from the ground, throwing it into the air.

The two waited a beat, and at the moment the rock hit the ground, their images blurred.

Ten, twenty, thirty... 

Madara flung as many shuriken as he could, first. They were the easier ones to throw for him, so he looped his hands in the central holes and let loose. This really was too easy, but Hashirama was keeping up in stride. Madara went up a notch.

Pushing chakra into his hands, they moved at a faster rate. Faster than normal, leaving afterimages. Sharp weapons stuck deep into the wooden wall, almost more than half way through. If anything, the real challenge was in avoiding breaking the wall.

Hashirama was not to be outdone. He himself was reaching around and grabbing his weapons. He seemingly didn't prefer one weapon to the other, whipping them towards the wooden wall with rapid fire movements. Still, his shots were hitting the targets just as well.

Madara heard a muffled voice. Several muffled voices, in fact. He could feel it, little pinpiricks along his back. Still, he kept throwing. No one would dare interrupt him, especially with a weapon in hand and during his obvious competition with the Hokage.

Fourty, fifty, sixty...

Madara found a good rhythm, for every one hand throwing, the other hand would be reaching for more weapons. He allowed himself to glance back for a quick moment.

It was as he'd thought. They ended up having drawn a crowd, young children pointed at the wall that was now littered in spikes and hilts, and more seasoned shinobi studied their quick hands. Madara couldn't care less and looked back to the board. Hashirama's laughter almost broke his concentration. He looked over at his friend, who looked right back into his with excitement shining in his dark eyes. Madara had to look away quickly, feeling a warmth grow in his chest. The two continued throwing shuriken and kunai with deadly accuracy.

It was getting colder out, and as a gust of wind blew along, Madara could feel an incoming obstacle.

He sneezed, missing one of the targets as his kunai shot wide. Hashirama laughed louder, boisterous, but it was very him. It sounded wonderful, and Madara couldn't stop the huff of an almost-laugh that escaped his lips as well as they kept going.

With his friend's happiness radiating off of him, it was easy for Madara to forget the stares along his back.

* * *

 

Tobirama didn't wear his head guard today, and it was hard to stop looking at his face. It made him look a lot more delicate than Mito thought, but she knew he was anything but. He wore a more formal outfit, darker robes with few patterns contrasting Mito's bright ones. They made his hair and eyes pop, and those tattoos of his only did him favors. An absolute ten. Fuck Madara, he didn't know what he was talking about. Four, her ass!

"The main idea is to instantly transport the user from one point to another," he explained his latest work to her.

The two stopped over by a small stand that sold sweet treats. Brightly colored dango sat on display, and Mito couldn't resist pulling out a couple yen.

"You're using seals for that, right? Using a jutsu alone would make it trickier to have an exact destination," she asked her fiancé as they stood in line.

"That's right," he nodded, "I was planning to use a separation seal to ensure that each point will not link to the wrong area. There are other options, of course..." he went on.

Maybe he didn't realize it, but his expression would soften when he talked about the seals and jutsu he was working on recently. Mito understood, there weren't many shinobi around here that understood the more in depth aspects. She ordered a stick for each of them.

"Have you considered a capture seal, instead? Like, starting with the main framework, the support spirals, you know the ones, and then work from there," she suggested. The whole idea was a good challenge.

The edges of his lips quirked up briefly and Mito fell a little harder. Did electric bubbles exist? Because they were definitely filling her chest.

"We could certainly try that, although, I was thinking more using a chain pattern in order to link all destinations. That is, it will definitely be more chakra intensive, I'm aware. But-" Tobirama cut himself off, his ruby eyes looking at hers for a moment.

"We'll work on it together later," he assured, "was there somewhere you wanted to visit?"

He must've thought he was boring her, which was completely false. Mito was totally invested! He didn't see the way his back relaxed, how his eyes closed in thought, the face he made when he turned to her for actual advice!

The things this man would do. Her fiancé was the sweetest. She couldn't resist pulling him down to her height and pressing her lips to his cheek.

"Nope. Let's keep going," she smiled at him.

Her cheeks might have turned as red as her hair, but that was okay. His were just as flushed.

* * *

 

It was crowded outside, so the ninneko kept to the rooftops. That was where Kakashi spotted a certain scarred cat curled up in a corner. He made a clone go down to get his attention, and Obito glared up at him. He must've been sleeping. Maybe Obito will let him join in. He hopped over to the cat, kittens following close behind.

He raised his tail in greeting, piling over Obito, ready for a nap. Obito's fur was warm against his own.

He got a paw to the face, and Obito got up from underneath him. The black and white cat stalked over behind a stand, gesturing them over with a curt meow. Behind the stand was a banquet of fish, grasses, and those little treats that Madara only sometimes gave them.

The five dug in quickly. None of it went to waste.

So maybe no cuddles for now. Food was fine, too.

* * *

 

The festivities lit up as soon as the sky grew dark. Lanterns glowed, chatter skyrocketed, and Hashirama was excited. The village streets were filled with such joy, even he couldn't believe it was real at times.

Hashirama himself carried a giant stuffed kitten from the booth they had visited. Madara had won, but he let Hashirama choose and keep the prize. He held the cat closer to his chest.

( _Hashirama had been on a roll. The piles of usable weapons was quickly diminishing between the two shinobi._

_But after one kunai missed, the rest started missing too. By the time they were out of weapons (which was rather quick), Madara had hit more targets than he had. Maybe he relied on his mokuton a bit too much, if this was any indication. A storm cloud brewed over his ducked head._

_"Pick one." Madara crossed his arms, looking away._

_"Huh? But, you..." Hashirama looked up, towards the Uchiha's turned head._

_"Get that look off your face. I don't have any interest in these prizes," his friend huffed. Hashirama smiled._

_Madara really was a great friend._

_Hashirama chose a stuffed cat. It reminded him of Madara, surrounded by his kittens, and it made him feel warm all over. He would keep this gift forever._ )

A light snowfall had started, and he noticed Madara's brow furrow. The Uchiha never did like the cold, so he allowed Madara to take them to their next destination. Hopefully, they would end up somewhere warmer.

That wasn't what happened. Instead, they found themselves atop the Hokage mountain again. They always did somehow end back here. The village glowed beneath their feet. The snowfall only made their village appear softer, more dreamlike. 

"It was loud," Madara explained when they got there. It was cold enough that his breath was slightly visible, dispersing briefly after. Hashirama couldn't help but focus on his lips for a moment longer.

They were standing close, and Hashirama moved to hold his friend's hand. The Uchiha always did get cold easily. Madara didn't shake it off, and Hashirama took it as a good sign.

Madara looked so... happy. Earlier, his eyes were so bright, excited at a challenge. Now, they were calm, looking at his into his own dark eyes. Around, the glow of the village outlined his friend, the place of their dreams reflecting in those dark irises. Madara wore a sweet expression. Not a smile, but a look of contentment. It electrified Hashirama's insides, seeing that rare openness. It was impossible not to smile.

It was so vulnerable, and Hashirama would gladly die to protect it. 

Hashirama felt like his chest was on fire, and he gripped his friend's pale hand like a lifeline.

* * *

 

The winter sky flashed white.

Obito darted under a stand at the sound of explosions. Kakashi's hair stood on end, too. The kitten trio hopped a full meter into the air. He hoped they weren't too spooked. He hadn't felt any buildup of chakra nearby, so maybe it wasn't an attack. Kakashi looked up to the darkened sky. There were explosions up there, popping and crackling in bright colors. There was no danger. He looked over to Obito and meowed.

The black and white cat looked warily back at him, staying where he was. It seemed that Obito didn't want to come out unless they moved somewhere else.

Kakashi flared his chakra lightly, Sakura noticing right away. Naruto was already a bit more distracted, enjoying the pets of a human passerby. How he calmed down so fast was anyone's guess. Sasuke meowed at the tabby, trying to be heard over the noise, but it was rather loud in the street corner. Sakura had to swat at him to get his attention. When the tabby finally noticed the rest of the clowder gathered and staring right at him, him tail swayed sheepishly. 

Kakashi rolled his eye, stalking away and letting the kittens pile onto his back. The explosions in the air were more plentiful, and Kakashi didn't want to be around here. The bob tailed cat followed along quickly, wanting to escape the loud area.

Yeah, Kakashi didn't like the noise either.

* * *

 

Dancers, faces painted and wearing striking colors, came together to perform in the center of the village. Music was played loudly by a group of civilians, echoing into the night.

"What a dance!" Mito exclaimed, watching the performers in awe.

Performers danced to an odd beat, lulling watchers into a false sense of rhythm before switching it up again. Twists, turns, jumps, leaps, it was as if they were water, flowing gracefully from one dance to a new one.

When they were finished, they took a long bow, watchers applauding loudly. Mito's eyes lit up, and Tobirama's eyes lingered on her bright smile. Music continued, keeping a more solid beat this time around.

The crowd that had gathered broke into pairs and moved to the upbeat tempo of the song, dancing along the streets. It was a night of celebration, after all.

She pulled him over to where civilians and shinobi alike danced in a big mass to the fast pace of the drum. Tobirama felt out of place, this wasn't really his scene, but Mito began to move, and everything faded into the background.

Her hair had been let down, flowing behind her as she danced. She was fluid at one moment, and then wild the next. Her eyes glanced at him for just a moment, the corners of her lips quirked up, and then she was everywhere and nowhere. Bright red was all his eyes could catch. Glowing, vibrant.

Then, suddenly, she stopped, and Tobirama found himself slightly disappointed. She went up to him, eyes locked onto his.

"Dance with me?" Her head tilted, eyes smiling, hair frazzled.

Mito rested her hand over his upper arm, holding it gently. He met her eyes, and they shined with affection.

She showed her feelings so easily, almost too easily in his opinion. She wanted Tobirama to know how she felt, and she succeeded. It was rather strong. But then, she was patient to let Tobirama share his thoughts at his own pace. He knew he wasn't the most expressive person in the world. It wasn't easy for him to open up, but when he tried to, for her, she would notice. She would listen. She would look at him. Every single time. Her face would brighten up, and it made him light, too. She made it easy for him to relax whenever she wore that expression. It told him that things were okay, that she was fine with him being him.

If he could give her back even a fraction of the joy she gave him, he'd do it in a heartbeat.

So when Mito gently pulled him towards herself and the other moving bodies, he let himself focus only on her, and just enjoy the night for what it was.

(In the back of his mind, he noticed that fireworks began to light the darkened sky. But he had his own firework to keep up with, so he forgot about it and moved.)

* * *

 

The cats found themselves in their usual field, away from all the noise. The sky still lit up from the sparks in the air, but it was less noisy at this distance. Still, all their ears would perk up every time a pop was heard. The kittens had settled down together, enjoying their warmth. Kakashi felt sleepy, too, and looked over at Obito. The scarred cat blinked back at him. Looked like they were all tired. The two older cats laid down next to the kittens. It was warmer that way.

An idea hit Kakashi. He pulled on his chakra, the way Madara showed them to make sure he didn't tire himself out, and six copies of himself formed in a cloud of smoke. The clones settled near them all, making the pile that much warmer. The kittens quickly caught on, making their own clones as well.

Stuffed with treats, warmed from his pile of friends, Kakashi purred. Things couldn't get any better than this.

* * *

 

The coming of a new year had always meant success in survival. But it had also meant a future of more misery, more death, more burning of bodies and slaying of both children and adults alike. But now, it meant _this_. It meant Senju, Uchiha, everyone, coming together and sitting down as brothers and sisters and perhaps even spouses. It meant a new life, not completely free of bloodshed, but with much less. It meant small children chasing after each other, like the kids they should be. If one had asked him as a child if he could picture it, he would have certainly scoffed at the idea. But it was here. It was real. And it meant Madara hadn't completely failed.

"This is ours."

Hashirama smiled widely at him. The dim light of the surrounding village glowed against the planes of Hashirama's face. He was just so bright. Everything felt warm. The distant music, the faint chatter of his (their) people, the rapid thrumming of his chest, Hashirama.

Fireworks popped in the sky, bright and beautiful in a way a jutsu could never be. The sparks danced among the clouds for a moment, before fading away to smoke and dust.

Madara looked closely at his friend. Completely relaxed, visible breaths even, light from the fireworks highlighting his already bright features. Hashirama looked stunning, standing over the village. (It was hard to remember that this was _theirs_.) When an eye glanced over to look at Madara, he was sucked in. When a wide grin stretched across those lips, it was hard to breathe. When a tanned hand curled around his own, he might have died.

He knew this feeling.

It was warmth. It was love. It was Hashirama, and Madara couldn't picture it being anyone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wryyyyy! There were THREE different ways I planned to write this :000000 I kinda got cavities writing this chapter, it was just so mushy (but I loved it) So yeah, it's happened :D (about time, lmao) What are you gonna do about it Madara?? Anyways, thanks for commenting and I appreciate all comments, feedback, and stuff! ♥♥♥


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madara thinks about things. Mito wants to help. The cats get around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tfw you can't even keep to your own schedule ;-; No excuses here, I'm literally just late. Q.Q

It was like a pressure against his ribs, the feeling Madara had, and nothing was platonic anymore.

As he laid on his futon, he couldn't help but think of that warm hand. The lively chakra, pressing against his own. The joy his friend wore clear on his face. The strength, the sweetness of his voice. It was like new, bright grass after a long and bare winter. A warmth after frigid chill. It felt so alive. It felt so right.

He thought back to when he and Hashirama had shared drinks on that cold winter evening. His skin had been flushed from alcohol and his body had been so relaxed. Madara wanted to be the one to make him like that, content and red all over.

Hashirama made his heart jump, his laughter tingled like lightning and his touches were fire, but it all burned so sweet that Madara couldn't help but want more.

Had Hashirama always looked so warm, so amazing, so wonderful?

He held Sakura up to his face, turning bright green eyes to meet his black. Sakura was the most compassionate of his cats, she'd understand.

"Sakura," he addressed the feline, "why did it have to be him?"

Sakura licked his nose. He took comfort in his kitten, holding the grey feline close and enjoying the softness of her fur against his hands.

Madara wasn't an idiot, he knew what he wanted. He wanted to court him. He wanted Hashirama to be his, and no one else's.

And he wanted to be Hashirama's, too. His heart fluttered again.

* * *

 

"I thought we were over this."

Kakashi loafed on his table, giving Madara an innocent one eyed stare. Madara met it with a glare that would give any shinobi nightmares for weeks. The feline just meowed in confusion.

"Kakashi."

The cat stared at him quizzically. He held up a scroll.

"Kakashi, what are these reports of silver hairballs in all the Uchihas' beds, huh?"

There were so many of the same exact report, and all the clansmen knew it was Madara's cat. It would take days to get through all of those papers, and it was all because of this furry cat lying down like he'd done nothing wrong.

Kakashi blinked, and a big ear flickered.

"No, it wasn't Sakura! Her fur is way too short for this sheer amount of hairballs!"

There were so many reports. How exactly had Kakashi pulled it off? Madara brushed through him the other day!

The furry feline rolled over, ignoring him. This cat feared nothing. Madara sighed. He wouldn't be getting an apology out of him, that was for sure. From the corner of his eye, he caught his small, orange kitten making his way towards the window.

"Naruto, don't think I haven't seen what you've done, either!"

Madara had also received reports about statues in the tabby's likeness being erected in random spots through the village. 

Blue eyes turned to look at him for a moment, tail straightening. He felt a buildup of chakra.

"Don't you dare!"

The kitten shunshined away, and Madara regretted ever training his cats.

His shoulders slumped.

Would they ever stop causing trouble? Madara glanced at the cat that was still lying on the table.

"Come here, you," he muttered as he approached the lazy cat.

He picked up Kakashi and sat down with the troublemaking feline in hand. He had always been the softest of the four to hold. Kakashi snuggled closer, bandaged tail whipping back and forth, and Madara's troubles lessened somewhat.

* * *

 

"So you have the hots for the Hokage?" Mito asked, not even facing him yet still getting that smug tone of voice across. She was on the floor, sitting on folded legs as she dipped a brush in dark ink.

Madara's brow twitched.

"You-?!"

How did she figure it out so fast? He hadn't even said anything!

"It's not hard to tell when you're making goo goo eyes every time you're in the immediate area as him," she explained as if it were obvious.

"Say that again and you're dead," he threatened.

"Goo goo eyes!" she sang.

He flung a kunai at her, and she deflected it offhandedly, laughing loudly. He wasn't sure if that made it better or worse. When she finally settled down, she glanced back at him, eyes drilling into his.

"You're telling him, right?" she questioned, looking ravenous for information.

He wanted to.

"Or will your clan not approve because you're both guys?" the Uzumaki pressed, turning fully towards Madara.

The Uchiha understood love, despite appearances. Their love was strong, unflinching, and unbreakable. The clan knew the feeling, and it wasn't uncommon for the same sexes to fall in love within their ranks. In the shinobi world, there was no time to worry about such things since death could strike at any moment. Clan heads could be chosen by strength, if blood was not an option.

"It's not that," he waved off, crossing his arms.

He had all her attention, and wide eyes stared imploringly into his.

"Or will the Senju not support it?" she leaned forewards.

If Hashirama had inclinations towards men(towards him), there was no way any of that would stop him, either. The Senju were far more mellow than Madara's own clan. In fact, they were way too accepting in his opinion, and Madara was willing to bet that if Hashirama took a man for a spouse, they'd all celebrate without a care.

"I really don't care about that," Madara shook his head.

She went back to her work, drawing a wide, curved arc along the spiralling patterns.

"What's holding you back then?" she asked, "Is it-"

"Stop drawing conclusions, Uzumaki!" he huffed. Then he mumbled, "I want to go for it."

He'd never had much interest in courting others before. However, Madara had seen his clansmen do so before. He pictured himself showing his friend his strength, giving him gifts, getting his attention.

Would Hashirama appreciate his efforts? Would he give him that one smile that was brighter than usual? Would he return Madara's feelings? If Hashirama felt the same way, if his chest bubbled too, if he felt just as warm around Madara as he felt around the Senju... His chest pounded and his face warmed a bit.

Mito was beaming. Or at least, Madara thought she was. It was hard to tell with her back facing him, but her hand tightened around her brush and she let out a little squeal in joy, if that was any indication.

"I'm glad to hear it," she finally said blissfully.

She added the character for 'protect' in between the swirls. Maybe it was a warding seal.

"So," her voice lilted, "How are you going to go about it?" she asked.

He wasn't certain, yet. His silence must've been enough of an answer.

"Don't worry, I have a few ideas," she told him, standing up and moving towards him, "We'll work on it together. This will be our mission!"

She looked pumped, ready to run out the door and announce Madara's feelings to the world. It felt odd, having someone act like this on his behalf. It was confusing.

"Why are you so invested in this?" he asked her. She didn't get anything out of it, and he doubted it would be fun to watch him struggle with his new endeavor.

Mito set her arms on his shoulders and looked him in his visible eye.

"Because you're my friend and I want to see you happy," she answered, "And he makes you very happy, doesn't he?" she smiled warmly at him, now.

* * *

 

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were in their home again. Hashirama didn't mind, though. He always liked extra company.

Tobirama's face had filled with horror at the sight of the trio in their house, and he quickly locked himself in his bedroom. It was hilarious. His brother was overreacting, and it was a funny sight to see him hiding from a group of kittens.

( _"Tobirama," Hashirama said in between laughs, "They're kittens."_

_"You don't understand. They're ninneko now, Anija! They'll ruin the house!" his brother told him._

_Hashirama laughed harder._ )

Naruto scratched at the younger Senju's door with a single minded intensity. Hashirama could just picture the claw marks that would litter the door. Sasuke shot the door with a jet of pressurised water. Sakura surveyed the area, checking for any other way to get into the room. She eventually found the doorway between Tobirama and his rooms, meowing to get the other two's attention. The tabby cheered, brushing against Sakura, the black kitten mewed at her in appreciation, and the three snuck into the room.

There was silence, then the sound of multiple glasses shattering and a long, exaggerated out sigh. It was adorable and terrifying.

Tobi (or Obito, as Madara called him) had dropped in for the day and remained by Hashirama's side. He did not join his kitten friends in their antics, preferring he quiet as Hashirama fixed himself a drink. When he was done, he sat himsepf down and the scarred cat hopped up to sit next to him. While he didn't look like it, Tobi was a real sweetheart. Hashirama pet along the top of his head, and feline blinked his multicolored eyes slowly at him. Hashirama cooed back at the cat, because he knew Tobi wasn't usually so affectionate. The cat stretched over onto the Hpkage's lap, and Hashirama set his drink down to give the cat his undivided attention. A very quiet, almost inaudible purr reverberated through the cat, Hashirama was suddenly reminded of his friend. 

He thought of how Madara held a similar softness in those dark eyes during those times when he didn't think anyone was looking. A gentleness in his touch when he reached out. A light joy in his voice as he spoke about his housemates. Hashirama looked at the feline in his lap. These cats really were the cause of it and Hashirama couldn't be happier. But... Could Hashirama give his friend that kind of happiness too? He wanted to make those eyes sparkle. He wanted to make Madara always look as amazed and warm as he did when they stood above their village, hands intertwined. 

Hashirama pet the black and white cat slowly, running his fingers through the soft fur.

He thought of pale lips curved in a sweet smile.

Would they be just as soft?

A crash cut through his thoughts.

Faint thumps were heard from the other room and Hashirama decided it was time to save his little brother from the three furry little sweethearts. He stood up, and Tobi had to hop out of his lap.

* * *

 

Madara had been through roughly a quarter of his paperwork when he'd heard a crash from the main room, followed by a chorus of meows.

He carefully avoided the indent in the center of his floor (He'd need to get Hashirama to fix that eventually.) and checked around his home. However, he couldn't find his cats anywhere indoors. There was a mess everywhere. A trail of water, fur, and mud littered the ground. Suddenly, Sasuke appeared from outside and brushed against his leg, and when Madara looked down at the black kitten, he rolled onto his back, staring into Madara's eyes playfully. It was awfully adorable, and when Sasuke got back up, trotting outside onto the veranda, Madara followed, only to be greeted with the field behind his home a mess. The earth was cracked, there were large puddles of water, mud, and fur. Then, the Sasuke by his feet burst into smoke.

Several copies of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura ran around, chasing one Kakashi who triumphantly held two jingling bells in his mouth.

The furry cat leapt away at speeds Madara hadn't realized he was capable of, a blur of silver. Three little furballs chased after him, Naruto a flash of orange, and Sasuke and Sakura a darker blur of movement. 

Naruto leapt towards Kakashi, that ball of pure blue chakra spiraling towards him and a clone followed close by for support. An instance of worry panged through Madara, and his hand twitched. That jutsu... Not only did Madara hate the idea of his kitten using something so chakra intensive while he wasn't around, but it was very destructive. The cats were just playing around, right?

The one eyed feline jumped out of the way, and the attack missed by an obviously purposeful margin. He was right, thankfully. He didn't know what he'd do if they were seriously trying to harm one another.

Naruto followed up, the orange tabby's paws were clawed, ready to strike. Kakashi easily pushed the kitten away, sending him and his clone tumbling into a heap of fur. The silver cat then turned around to stop a Sakura who had used the distraction to form a series of mud blasts. Then the real grey kitten revealed herself and leapt towards the silver cat, swatting near his mouth. Kakashi was able to dodge that as well, bells ringing teasingly as the grey kitten's paw just missed the bells. He then pushed Sakura towards Naruto, and both laid there in defeat.

A long meow was heard as the cat curled up and began grooming himself. He was teasing them.

Madara figured out the rules rather quickly. The kittens were trying to take the bells from Kakashi, but then, where was Sasuke?

Said black kitten rushed out from behind a tree, eyes gleaming, and one of Kakashi's big ears perked up.

As the kitten landed, Kakashi was gone in less than a second, leaping and dodging the flurry of blows that the smaller cat sent him. The kitten's chakra condensed inwards, and lightning popped and crackled along the feline as his fur stuck up in every which way. A ball of familiarly spiraling chakra formed under the black cat's guidance, shocking, bright, and dangerous. The black kitten took off, rushing towards the silver cat with determination clear on his little face. Kakashi met the kitten halfway, and Madara froze.

The two cats stilled, and something twinkled in Kakashi's eye before the black kitten found himself sprawled out next to his two friends on the muddy ground. Both cats were unharmed. He let out a sigh in relief.

Then he thought back to what technique Sasuke had used. It was similar to that of Naruto's, and a heavy feeling settled in his stomach. That lightning jutsu felt just like the other one, but even more wild. Now there were two of them to worry over. Madara shook his head.

Sasuke let out a small little mew in frustration, Sakura was licking away at their little scratches and they were... healing away. Had Mito taught her something again? The last time Madara checked, Sakura didn't know how to do that. 

The three kittens laid in a pile of fur and frustration as Kakashi did a little dance of some sort around them. The bells rang mockingly in front of the kittens, and Naruto looked a little disheartened. Madara thought back to their performance. Naruto had been running in head on, as did Sakura and Sasuke.

But they didn't work together, and Kakashi was a smart cat. Maybe if they had joined their forces, the bells would have been theirs.

"You three need to learn to work together," the Uchiha muttered.

The kittens looked at him.

"You all have strengths and weaknesses, and you can cover them more effectively if you work as a team," he explained.

Kakashi gave him a look and Madara didn't know why, but this one felt different.

He looked at the ruined field. But then he noticed the lack of destruction and havoc anywhere else in the Uchiha compound. His yard was a mess, but it was just his ground that was cracked.

At least they had restrained themselves, this time.

Madara flared his chakra lightly, regaining the attention of all four cats.

"You can work on it next time. Come in, it's cold," he told all of them, walking back indoors.

Four furballs followed him inside, and Madara put them on his bed where he knew they'd warm up the fastest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda had to censor Mito in this one XDDDD There were many, many things I could've had her say here. (All I'll say is that it had to do with henge, shadow clones, sexy jutsu, and Tobirama.) So yeah, comments, suggestions, ideas, feedback and stuff are always appreciated! Seriously, ideas would be great rn, cuz I only have an outline of where I want this to go, nothing's set in stone :0 ♥♥♥


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cats go on a mission. Mito does recon. Woof.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Schedule? What's a schedule? Q.Q (But no, I'm seriously sorry about that! A week? I'm actually the worst and I feel terribly guilty. ;-;)

"You're dismissed."

The four ninneko disappeared in a shunshin of fur and leaves. Hopefully Tobirama would be receiving good reports this time around, rather than the constant complaints the office had usually been flooded with.

"You're really doing this?" Madara asked him in a biting tone. Tobirama could see where this was going rather quickly.

"They're perfectly capable at handling it," he told the Uchiha.

"I don't see why you're even assigning them to them. They're cats," Madara argued, crossing his arms.

"Experience," Tobirama reminded him. He may have grown a soft spot for the cats, but he was well aware that they were still green, regardless of how many jutsu he or Mito or even Madara taught them. Madara stared at him. "They'll destroy the village before noon if they're holed up any longer," Tobirama explained. It was a more honest reason.

Madara glared at him. Seriously, did the Uchiha not understand how his worked? They went through the system together. Missions were now organized by difficulty. 

It was a D rank mission, the lowest possible thing. It would keep the cats busy, it was in no way dangerous, and most importantly, it would help them understand their roles as official ninneko.

The Uchiha's glare transformed into an even sharper glower.

"They need supervision," he said tersely.

The clan head abruptly stood from his desk and followed after the cats. The two Senju watched his retreating back and listened as his heavy footsteps trailed off into the distance. Sometimes, that man...

He let his cats out on their own all the time. Did giving them a mission, a simple D rank, really call for such dramatics?

Tobirama shook his head. Madara was much more agreeable on things relating to the village: accepting new clans, trades, proposals. This was all true. But then, once any of his cats were involved, he always got like this. Angry, frustrated, and very obviously worried.

Hashirama sent him a look, that half smile he always did whenever Madara did things like this. It faintly reminded him of that one expression Mito wore when he did anything particularly embarrassing. (In his opinion, anyways. Mito always said he was cute.) It was that very same fond look, and the younger Senju felt like he was missing something.

"Well, Tobi?" Hashirama urged him.

Tobirama sighed and penned the Uchiha's name into the mission file.

* * *

 

The mission was simple. The cats were to walk the Inuzuka dogs, but also, that made it complicated. Reigning in the hounds if they got too rowdy or wandered too far would be a test of strength for his cats, and Madara was certain that no matter how many jutsu they had, three kittens and one adult cat couldn't hold back a full pack of clan ninken.

As they arrived towards the Inuzuka compound, which was as open and welcoming as Madara had expected, he slowed his cats with a small chakra flare, gaining their attention right away.

If they needed the extra strength, Madara knew something that would be useful.

"Watch closely," he thickened his chakra through his body, letting it condense and heighten his senses. Naruto was the first to pick up on how Madara was able to do it, little folded ears twitching at the spike in chakra. However, his own attempts to replicate it were all in vain. Madara made a note to himself to get some time to show the tabby properly. He didn't want him hurting himself trying to rush it in one go.

Once the rest of the cats sensed Naruto copying him, they tried to do the same. Kakashi seemed to get it rather quickly, his crackling chakra condensed around his body like another layer of fur, as did Sasuke's. Those two always seemed to catch on quickly to new techniques. It took Sakura a few tries, and then she was able to get it for a moment, her chakra more running off of her like water. 

He then pushed each of his cats, trying to knock them over gently. Each of the cats minus Naruto were able to hold their ground with their reinforced bodies. The orange tabby gave a small mewl in frustration, but Madara scratched around his folded ear and the kitten seemed to forget his anger quickly. 

Even if Naruto couldn't completely get it for the time being, the others could cover him. That's why the mission was for all of them, after all.

His cats could handle it.

Maybe, they were ready. He thought of how Naruto had been practicing with his special jutsu for a while. He remembered how alert Kakashi was. He thought of Sakura's earth cracking swipes and Sasuke's evasiveness. Maybe they could handle these missions. Maybe they could do more than D ranks. Madara would be with them the whole way.

(Part of him wished he could have done this for his brothers, taught them the basics at a much slower pace before throwing them into harsh battlefields. He shoved the thought away before Naruto would pick up on it. The kitten did seem to always know when Madara was upset and he would never be left alone afterwards.)

* * *

 

Madara looked at Hashirama like he was the sun. Yeah, Mito could kind of get it, but exactly how close were they? She ended up in the office, sitting on the corner of her fiancé's desk. Tobirama was scribbling away, working on report after report with that focused gleam in those red eyes that she loved. It made her want to pull him onto the desk and kiss those tattooed cheeks of his while she was at it. But she couldn't let herself get distracted this time, she had a goal in mind.

She needed to discern the Hokage's feelings for her friend.

Madara was fond of him, Mito liked his brightness, Tobirama adored him even if he didn't say it. Still, the Uzumaki watched each other's backs, and Mito didn't want to see either of them get their hearts broken. 

Hashirama shifted through his papers, not really working, but giving the impression that he was. It was like Mito when she had to attend clan meetings and had to look focused when all she could think about was her most recent seal. He looked over to a stuffed cat that sat on his desk, on the corner close to his right. It was a dark one with little perky ears and round eyes. He poked it with one hand. It was an opening.

"So, where'd that cat come from?" Mito pointed to his desk where the large stuffed animal was. She already had an idea, if the soft look Hashirama gave the cat was any indication.

He laughed loudly at that, the sound kind of like hers, and Mito was suddenly reminded of home. The Uzumaki laughed just like that, and not hearing such full and joyous laughter again until that moment made her miss her clan a bit. Although, it made her wonder.

Was that what Madara saw in him? That openness? The way he wore his heart on his sleeve? Is that what made his eyes sparkle, his lips curve up, and his cheeks turn red?

"Madara let me have it," Hashirama explained as he picked it up and squeezed the plush between his hands, beaming at it as if it were alive, "it was a gift."

God, they were adorable. Both of them. If they could just get a little push...

"He's not scary at all. Not like I'd heard, anyways," Mito commented. People made him out to be dark, twisted, nothing like the man she knew. Her legs swing underneath her, "he's really nice, isn't he?"

Just a small idea. It was the small rocks that led to avalanches, after all.

"Madara's the kindest man I know," Hashirama agreed with her resolutely. His eyes bored into hers with conviction and purpose and even though that adorable stuffed cat in his hands would have made any other person seem a little more childish, it looked like it belonged in his hands, and his words were strong and unmovable like a boulder and Mito just had to believe it.

Madara wasn't a conventionally kind person. He did what he thought was best, even if things didn't always seem like it. It made her glad that Hashirama could see it too. As she watched the Hokage hug the life out of his gift, Mito thought about her self-imposed mission.

If Madara could make his friend look like this without realising, then...

Maybe she wouldn't have to help him as much as she'd thought. Mito beamed.

* * *

 

The dogs, Inuzuka puppies as well as grown hounds, were easily herded by his kittens. Madara didn't even have to step in, they had it all under control. Kakashi surveyed the back, as he'd always preferred. Sasuke and Sakura kept to the sides, brushing against the dogs when they shifted out of the cluster.

Although, some of those dogs were getting awfully close to Sasuke. Those were mostly the females and they barked to try and grab the kitten's attention. The black ninneko gave them the cold shoulder, turning away with a huff, tail raised proudly in the air.

That seemed to spur them on, and one of the braver dogs licked Sasuke. Madara could sense something. It was like a deep wave. Almost drowning. Killing intent?

Sakura sent out one short, threatening meow and all the dogs straightened, the one female dog quickly returning to the main pack. Even Kakashi looked a little frazzled, silver fur standing on end.

The Inuzuka dogs grew quiet after that, a few moving out of the herd and needing to be pushed back in by his silver cat.

Naruto seemed to be irked at the lack of attention. He turned around and gave Sasuke a blue wide eyed stare, a warning.

One mud shot. That was all it took. 

Madara's head drooped.

Sasuke leapt after the orange tabby, half-playful half-angry hisses in his tone as the two disappeared after one another through the streets.

Some passing Uchiha who were familiar with the kittens sent Madara pitying looks. Others shook their heads. A few smart civilians paled and ran for their houses. 

With a free space from a lack of Naruto or Sasuke guarding the sides, the pack of dogs immediately fled from Sakura, completely terrified of her green glare. Barks and whines and a few whimpers echoed from the loose pack as they ran further away. Sakura huffed and rolled onto her back, Kakashi laying down and resting on his front paws.

A distant crash was followed by an explosion of fur and smoke that could be seen in the distance.

Madara groaned, raking a hand through his hair.

* * *

 

Tobirama should have known better.

He  _really_  should have known better.

Mito had effectively dragged him out of the office earlier, telling him that he needed some sunlight. Not only was it cold out but the sun was obscured by thick clouds that just spelled more snow. In other words, it was an excuse to go out with him, and Tobirama didn't mind that too much. It would mean his brother had to pick up some slack, for once.

Mito dragged him to a ramen stand that was fairly new, but had held her interest for a while. They grabbed two adjacent seats, Mito greeting the Ichiraku woman, an old civilian lady with kind eyes. Once their bowls were set in front of them, Mito dug into her ramen vigorously and Tobirama took his own bowl at a more sedate pace, discussing a jutsu he had been developing.

"It's based on my brother's healing technique. He doesn't use specific jutsu to fix his wounds, you see, so I plan on making one to work similarly to his abilities," he explained.

Mito listened attentively, which he always appreciated. He knew his conversation topics weren't the best, but she appeared interested and would nod as she slurped down her noodles, adding in her own input occasionally.

"I've heard about his healing before. That could change the whole medical field! Just imagine combining it with current techniques, we could-" she cut herself off.

The redhead gave him a once over, looking him up and down. She quickly finished the last of her bowl with a contented sigh.

"Sorry just-Your eyes are gorgeous. You'd look amazing in blue," she blurted out.

No one really complimented his eyes. They had reminded his clansmen of the Uchiha, back before the founding of the village. They said he was cursed for it. He'd been ashamed of them, faintly jealous of his brothers for having dark eyes. And Mito just called them beautiful. She didn't know about any of that, but it still effected him nonetheless.

His face turned redder than his tattoos. She was always so forward, so sweet when it came to them. He didn't exactly mind it, but when it came out of the blue like this, it was always hard to get his bearings.

"That's-"

And then two blurs of orange and black sped in front of them. A blast of water shot across the street, missing by an incredible margin, and balls of spinning... chakra? What was that? And then the two blurs slowed, revealing a smug tabby and a growling black kitten.

Weren't they supposed to be doing a mission?

A loose fluffy dog ran by, its tan tail between its legs and a certain Uchiha pounced on the dog, holding it still and putting a leash around its neck. Madara had several other large and small dogs on leashes held in one hand. Kakashi followed behind him in a leisurely stroll, and Sakura was carried on top of the silver cat. 

Madara's shoulders sagged in relief at the dog, who gave him big dark eyes in a plea. Madara got up to properly hold in the leash. When the dog realized it wouldn't be getting any sympathy from the clan head, it turned its eyes to Tobirama and Mito.

Madara followed the hound's gaze and looked over. Dark eyes widened, flashing red for a brief moment.

"Not a word," Madara hissed. The dog was still tugging at the leash a little, distancing itself from Sakura and Kakashi. Sakura seemed to be glaring at the hound, green eyes in slits.

Naruto and Sasuke had gotten further down the streets by then, and Madara looked ready to curse at the sight.

And then he was pulled away by the pack of dogs by their leashes, a sea of barks and growls and pants and a cloud of dust was left in their wake. Two cats strolled after him slowly, or more like, Kakashi strolled after the Uchiha and Sakura relaxed on his back. The other two felines brawled, getting further and further away. Tobirama shared a look with Mito. 

Mito guffawed next to him. 

* * *

 

The village remained in high spirits. While the official festivities were over, it didn't mean the end of the joyful mood.

"How was the mission?" Hashirama asked.

He and Madara were at one of the many bars that had been built throughout the village. It was surreal to be able to sit here, to see the life that flourished and the clans come together without bloodshed. This bar was a newer one that Hashirama had been wanting to visit, and he took his friend with him. The two sat side by side along the main bar, and the other customers didn't pay any mind to them. That was what Hashirama liked best about it. As the chatter of the building filled the air, Madara spoke up.

"It was actually terrible," Madara finally said.

That was one way to put it. The Uchiha had returned to the office with mud on his pants, a scowl on his face, and his hair messier than it usually was. Hashirama wondered what he must've looked like, escorting cats and dogs along the streets.

"You wouldn't believe how whipped they were at one meow from Sakura," he continued.

There was a gleam in his eye, and that dark, uncovered eye rose to meet his own eyes. His lips curved up just slightly, and if Hashirama wasn't as close as he was, he might have missed it.

"I'm pretty sure the Inuzuka's dogs are in love with Sasuke. All of them. He wasn't interested whatsoever, but they still tried," the Uchiha recounted the tale, pausing to take a sip of his drink.

Madara didn't usually ramble like this. He was quiet if he was uninterested, and snarky when he was listening. Still, he'd never really spoken much about one topic, let alone for so long. Hashirama wanted to keep listening to him speak. His voice was like low music, a steady rhythm, a lovely beat. It was infatuated, and it warmed the Senju's heart to hear the way his voice lilted with pride when he spoke about the cats.

Madara's other hand brushed against his own, and Hashirama was hit with the urge to hold it, so he did. It was cool against his own. Hashirama could feel the callouses his friend must have gotten from his scythe, kunai, and all the other weapons Madara used throughout his life. Hashirama knew his own hand wasn't much softer, but that was fine. Madara didn't jump back from the touch, instead he gave him a glance that seemed a little nervous as the Uchiha's thumb brushed over the back of his palm lightly. His cheeks were a bit red, much more obvious against his pale skin. His drink must've been stronger than Hashirama had thought.

"You'd think Sasuke would learn, but then Naruto goaded him again, and after that..." Madara trailed off, getting lost his tale.

He huffed out a laugh that sounded so open and discordant. It kind of clashed a little bit, but his eyebrows knitted together in that one gentle twist he did whenever he didn't remember to control his expression, his shoulders shook lightly, his hair fell away from the right half of his face, and Hashirama felt a little overwhelmed.

He liked him best when he was like this.

Madara's thumb rubbed over the back of his palm again, and Hashirama could just feel the lightness of the touch. Could Madara tell how gently he held him?

"It was a lost cause after that, but they showed promise, all of them," Madara finally told him.

Madara's tiny grin was real. It was there. It was just for him to see. It made Hashirama happy, too. It felt like bubbling in his stomach, light and floating. It felt like a ticklishness all over the inside of his head. Things felt fuzzier than Obito did when he hopped into his lap, and Hashirama could tell it wasn't the alcohol. It felt like when plants began to grow back into the world and left Hashirama feeling floaty and warm and just a tad overwhelmed.

It felt like spring.

He thought about Mito's words to him earlier. Yes, Madara was one of the sweetest people he knew.

A hum was all that could escape Hashirama's lips as the two enjoyed their drinks, surrounded by cheer.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> D ranks suck but Madara's such a protective cat dad that he's doing em anyways! (For a split moment, I thought I accidentally deleted part of the chapter and I almost screamed, like: I CAN'T REWRITE THAT! Lucky me, it was okay ;0;) As usual, comments, suggestions, feedback and stuff are always welcome! Thanks for reading! ♥♥♥


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Overprotective Uchiha instincts. Tobirama isn't all that bad. Kakashi is floofy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, whoops. Q.Q

Madara's dreams were filled red eyes and a sense of dread, as they usually were. Nothing was particularly bad, but it was enough to leave him on edge.

Something fuzzy brushed against his arm, interrupting his dreams, but Madara was familiar with this feeling. He reached out, groggily feeling for the furball he knew he'd come in contact with, and a soft little head pressed against it. When Madara finally opened his eyes, he was greeted by a big, fluffy silhouette outlined by the moonlight. Kakashi's bandaged tail swayed behind him, expectant. He was always an early riser, both him and the cat, but as Madara glanced out the window, the the sky was far too dark for it to be morning. Kakashi meowed, rather loudly and Sakura stirred, grey ears twitching. He'd wake up the rest of the cats if Madara didn't move fast (he could just imagine it, he wouldn't be able get any peace for the rest of the night with all of them running around), so Madara scooped up the cat and headed into the other room.

Rain lightly pattered against the ground outside, a dull white noise filling his main room. Madara shuddered at the idea that it would freeze on the ground. That would be far worse than any amount of snow. He sat down, cat in hand.

"What is it, Kakashi?" he asked the feline, and the cat's response was to blink slowly at him, tail swishing up.

The big cat nuzzled into the Uchiha's body, pressing his furry head into the crook of Madara's arm. He was soft, and as Madara stroked through the silver fur, the feline let out a low contented pur. The little vibrations lulled the Uchiha, and his thoughts drifted. His hand slowed, and he let out a yawn. Kakashi dug his claws into Madara's arms when he began to drift off and let out a soft meow. His single eye glared into his, almost betrayed, and Madara felt guilty when those big silver ears lowered down. He was hit with a sudden thought.

Did Kakashi have a nightmare, too?

He wished such a thing was limited to people, but as the cat held onto him, tail still, lightly purring as if to comfort himself, Madara knew that wish might not have been true.

It was his turn to be there for them.

(He quietly apologized to his cat and held him until Kakashi was ready to go back to sleep, too.)

* * *

 

The day was much clearer, few clouds in the sky and the sun shined brightly. The rain had dried, luckily, and Madara counted his blessings.

Madara held bright sheets to a clothes line, pinning them up for them to dry. Sasuke sat on his shoulder, little black eyes watching the sheets closely. It was another of the many D ranks the cats were assigned, yet Madara found himself doing another one for all of them.

He would have gotten them to do it, but Naruto would tear the sheets, Kakashi would sleep on them, Sakura kneaded anything she got her paws on, and Sasuke refused to get off of his shoulder, looking at the task as if it was beneath him.

It was beneath Madara, damn it!

That left Madara doing their missions for them while they bathed in the sunlight.

A cold gust of wind blew by them, causing the sheets to flutter and Madara let out an irritated huff.

"That's one!" a female voice chimed behind him, and Madara didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"What are you on about, now?" he asked. Mito was always talking about one thing or another.

"Gifts! And Hashirama loves that cat you got him!" He heard Mito clasp her hands together.

He knew.

He saw Hashirama place it on his desk. He knew his friend was sentimental, but for him to leave that stuffed cat on his desk, where anyone could see the gift Madara got him? For him to pick it up every now and then, squeezing it tight? It wasn't even a real gift, Madara having Hashirama take the prize he'd won at the start of the year, yet his friend cherished it, and the thought still left Madara feeling a little warm. 

(A part of him wanted to shower Hashirama in gifts. But Hashirama wasn't that type of person, so he refrained.)

"Now about your next move, where are you taking him, when, how? Give me the details," the Uzumaki cut off his thoughts, moving beside him, sparkles in her eyes as she balled her hands into fists in excitement.

She was so... optimistic.

"I've got some ideas of what you can do," the Uzumaki began to ramble off, counting on her fingers.

Mito was more excited over this than Madara thought she'd be. She was sunny, unable to slow down and held such care in those eyes and it still filled Madara with an uncertain warmth every time she came to speak with him. She listened, and that made her different. She ignored the looks people sent him, kept up with everything, and she was always so full of cheer.

"But if you're taking him to a restaurant, make sure they have-" she continued, waving her arms to demonstrate her advice.

She was... a friend, someone to talk to, and Madara still found it odd to think about.

"And you said Hashirama likes communal food, right? Maybe try that barbecue place? Not as good as ramen, but-" she picked up some of the sheets as well.

He hoped he was a pillar for Mito, too.

"That reminds me of when Tobi, not the cat, took me to dinner the other night!" And of course she would somehow bring up Tobirama, "He wore this really fancy thing that just made him look lame but it was also super cute!" She waved the sheets in her hands up and down in her excitement. 

"It made his arms look hot, though. Like, I've seen good arms but damn, he has _arms_ and-" Sometimes she was too much.

She loved Tobirama. Madara was certain of that, considering she'd always manage to bring him up every other second. If Mito was a star when she was alone, she was the fucking sun the moment her fiancé got involved.

But Tobirama was... Tobirama.

What did she see in him? Why did she choose him, over the bright and charismatic Hokage? (The idea of Mito and Hashirama being together was easy to imagine, and left Madara feeling cold.) Mito was a light, brilliant, sparkling, expressive. He'd never seen her more than concerned or just a little worried.

He could trust Tobirama with his cats, but could he trust him with her heart...?

Madara thought of her frown. He'd never seen her truly frown, get angry, or cry. She was a strong kunoichi, an Uzumaki with vast, light chakra. He imagined her weak. Broken. Would her sobs be louder than her laughter? The Uchiha knew that Tobirama wasn't the type of man that would put out such a light, but he couldn't help but picture it regardless.

Like hell he'd let Tobirama hurt her.

"Do you think he'd be comfortable letting me hold him down and-"

"Shut up and work," Madara threw another pile of sheets at the redhead's face. She just laughed it off and continued to probe him for information.

He'd see to the issue later.

* * *

 

Kakashi wouldn't leave his arms. Every time Madara tried to set him down, Kakashi would give him a one eyed warning as his claws dug deeper into the Uchiha's arms. 

Initially, after the completed mission, the silver cat trailed after Madara through the village streets as he'd made his way to the missions office.

The streets had been crowded, the bustle of passing genin (Smaller ranks for children, and it still warmed him to know that he and Hashirama had done something right), vendors, and civilians filling each corner of the streets. The Uchiha picked up the big cat in his arms and held him close to avoid people running into the bushy ninneko.

The kittens had jumped away after the last of the laundry had been hung up, but Madara sensed their little chakra signatures not too far away, so he didn't bother trying to catch them. A chase would only spur Naruto on, Sasuke would take it as a challenge, and Sakura would somehow get dragged in.

Kakashi seemed happy with his place in Madara's arms as the Uchiha handed the mission report to a secretary who sent him a look after one glance to his cat. Madara showed Kakashi's hitai-ate to show that his was no random cat. She still raised an eyebrow. He glared, but that seemed to be less effective with the big cat snuggling in his arms. He felt like he'd lost all intimidation in the past month or so.

Kakashi nipped his arm, getting Madara's attention.

"Fine, fine. Let's get you something to eat," Madara muttered and scratched under Kakashi's fluffy chin. He ignored the eyes in his back as he left the missions office. The silver feline's tail swished in glee.

When did he become their servant, anyways?

* * *

 

Naruto slipped into the water again. Tobirama found it odd that he had so much chakra. At one moment, it would feel like he had a normal amount for his size, and then he'd just pull out more the moment he molded it. His control was terrible, and whenever the chakra would spiral out of control it gave him headaches at the sudden flares.

Sakura adapted to it the best, her water natured chakra easily molding to match the movement of the pool. She placed one careful paw at a time, adapting to the surface of the water before settling her back legs on it as well. She wobbled, only standing on the surface for a moment before she sunk down as well.

Sasuke was behind, his larger reserves giving him a hard time managing as well. The black kitten was further than his tabby friend, but not as far as the grey kitten. He placed enough chakra to stand on the surface, but it would dissipate and he'd sink slowly into the shallow little pool.

Tobi had waltzed into the training ground, vigilantly watching the three kittens. Perhaps he was babysitting for Kakashi. The scarred cat glanced at Tobirama before approaching slowly, circling around him and then hopping into his arms. The black and white cat must have been trying to stave off some of the cold. Tobirama didn't mind, the feline was warm against his chest.

That was when a certain Uchiha approached him, silver cat in hand.

Madara gave him that indifferent look he usually did when he didn't want to argue but he didn't want to listen, either. It was a half glare, but eyes weren't red with the sharingan so that was a good sign. He didn't say anything, just stared at the Senju, reminiscent of the cats. They stood side by side in silence for a good while, the sounds of frustrated meows in the background.

But Tobirama could see something swirling in those eyes, something Tobirama found oddly familiar.

"They won't drown or freeze. The pool is shallow," he assured. A worried Madara was worse than an angry Madara.

Naruto splashed into the water again. Sasuke took satisfaction in his fellow kitten's failure, black tail swaying back and forth.

"What is Mito to you?" Madara asked.

Well, that was out of the blue.

"She's my fiancée, you know that, Madara," Tobirama told him, "she's important."

"She means a lot to the village, right?" the clan head questioned. Tobirama felt the cold air turn freezing.

Mito and his marriage was important in uniting the Uzumaki with Konoha, but it didn't feel like it. It felt like Mito took an interest in him, and he felt a similar pull to her. It felt like a mutual desire, and Tobirama felt himself looking forward to it.

"She does, yes, but that's not what I meant. She's important to me," the albino found himself responding.

Tobi tried to swat at Kakashi while staying in Tobirama's arms. The silver cat just looked amused and pawed back.

"She chose you, you know? She was supposed to marry Hashirama, but she asked to have your hand instead," the Uchiha said offhandedly.

Tobirama was aware. (A part of him absolutely detested the idea of it ever happening, Mito and Hashirama. They were both stars, Tobirama knew. He held them both close to his heart, but Tobirama _wanted_ this.)

"I don't know why, but she wanted you specifically. So listen, Senju," Madara snapped and Tobirama noticed the chakra spike. He must've activated his sharingan in his anger.

Madara watched his cats finally stand on the water for more than a few seconds, and sent a small flare of chakra in approval to the kittens since his hands were full. Their ears quickly perked up at the praise.

"If you ever make Mito cry, I'll kill you," Madara promised.

"Of course," the Senju replied, undeterred. If it came to that, he'd do the same thing.

But still, god, the thought of her crying. It felt worse than any wound he had ever received, piercing through his heart easily.

Mito was plenty strong, but he'd protect her anyways, keep that spirit bright with everything he had. He knew enough to understand his own emotions, at least. Tobirama didn't know why, but he felt he needed to tell Madara of his conviction, to explain what he'd felt. Something he only recently came to realize himself. She was one of his few precious people.

"I lo-"

"Save it for Mito," Madara said, and Tobirama felt like he'd passed some sort of test, like the shaky bridge built between them strengthened. The Uchiha walked away, disappearing into the chilly village streets with a big, fuzzy cat in his arms.

Obito nuzzled into his hand.

("Okay, so maybe, _maybe_ he's a seven," Madara begrudgingly told Mito later.

"I'm telling you, he's a ten!" she laughed.)

* * *

 

Madara had taken him to the forest on the edge of the village, where some of the trees remained green and there was so much open space that Hashirama wanted to spread his arms out and let his chakra loose. Kakashi was in his arms, watching Hashirama with his one lazy eye, and Hashirama still thought the sight of his friend holding the silver cat was heart melting.

"You were being mopey again," Madara explained once they reached a clearing within the trees.

He might have been. It had been so sunny outside despite the cold air and it was a shame to be blocked in by mountains of paperwork. Despite the sun out the window, the office was full of storm clouds over his head.

"Just a little bit," he agreed, scratching behind his head.

The forest always brought Hashirama joy. Even in the winter, when the sky was a muted blue and the air was cold and plants were scarce and far and in between, the feeling of them around him warmed his chakra and livened his spirit. It always felt like home, and Madara knew that and brought him here.

Madara was always looking out for him, alongside Tobirama. It made Hashirama feel lucky, like he'd won a game of cards (it hadn't happened yet but maybe one day...) to have his friend be so kind.

The Uchiha was picking out some pieces of fur from his shirt. Kakashi nuzzled into his chest more, getting even more fur than before stuck in his clothes.

"At this point, Madara, you look like a big cat," he commented, pointing at all the silver fur.

The Uchiha was always covered in cat hair, in his hair or in his clothes, it didn't matter. It was endearing, how much they'd become part of his friend's life, how much happiness they brought the Uchiha, how much they caused him to open up. But it was still funny to see.

"Let's see how you like it!" Madara retorted and Kakashi hopped out of his arms.

He lunged for Hashirama and grabbed him close, trying to get the fur on his clothes as well. They ended up wrestling around over the ground as Hashirama laughed. Their tussle got some dirt onto both of them, but Madara was able to grab cat hair and rub it into Hashirama's clothes.

They were both furry from head to toe by the end of it. Now they were both big cats. Another peal of laughter escaped his lips at the idea. A cat Hokage and a cat clan head.

But then Madara's arms stayed around him, and Hashirama looked to his friend. Madara's visible eye watched his, his firce grin faded and his brow knit as if tensing for an attack. It was a familiar look that he'd worn in the past, but Hashirama knew his friend. His friend's dark eye was almost asking for permission.

Oh, Madara.

He wrapped his own arms around his friend and pulled him closer. He was a little cold, but Hashirama didn't mind. Madara's eyes held his gaze and they softened somewhat, his pale cheeks just a little flushed. It was a sweetness Hashirama didn't realize he craved, an openness Hashirama desperately needed.

Of course this was okay.

He grinned at his friend, and those stiff shoulders relaxed. A reassuring squeeze back was the response. Madara might have been cool, but their closeness warmed Hashirama from head to toe.

(Kakashi waltzed away from the field of blooming daisies in satisfaction.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So: I tried writing a completely different chapter but it just wasn't coming out right no matter what I did so this happened instead and I'm glad for it! Madara and Tobirama needed to bond, just a little bit more, ya know? (And protective!Madara is adorable :3) Anyways, thanks for reading and I'm hoping I'll actually be able update normally for once! :0 Feedback, comments, and suggestions are always appreciated!! Tell me what ya think!! ♥♥♥


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the catnip kicks in. Hashirama regrets things and a snowball fight happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry it just wasn't happening last week and I didn't want to force it. Anyways, thanks for commenting!!! It really means a lot to me <3 My goal: to post in under a week! >:0

There was no sun overhead that morning, but the sky was still bright enough to make Madara's eyes squint when he looked up. It was also snowing, which he hated, but at least it was a light amount, nothing compared to previous times.

He still wondered what he was doing outside. It was freezing and he wished he'd stayed at home with his cats.

"And you hugged him? That's fucking adorable!" Mito squealed, pressing her hands to her cheeks and then latching onto Madara's arm again.

Mito had expressed curiosity about the Uchiha district, so they found themselves walking aimlessly through the area, and somehow she'd managed to figure out everything by just looking at him. He still didn't know how she managed it.

The redhead practically skipped through the streets, ignoring a couple looks sent her way. Madara just wondered how she could be so active in the morning. He himself was still a little tired.

"So did you kiss him or not?" Mito continued, basically shouting. A couple heads turned and Madara felt his face heat up.

"Say that louder, I dare you!" he yelled right back. He still thought about her question, though.

Hashirama had been so warm against him. It was everything he wanted. It was special and quiet and just theirs and Madara had never wanted to leave.

His friend had been so happy, beaming in the cold forest, and that bright smile still caught him off guard every time he saw it. This feeling was just... odd to acknowledge, but he couldn't leave it alone, either.

He wanted to do more.

"No, I didn't," he said softer this time.

He _had_ been close. If Madara had pushed, could he have kissed him? Pressed his lips to those soft looking ones and maybe ran his hands through that long, dark hair?

His heart pounded, his face felt all sorts of warm, and Madara hoped it could happen. He found himself wanting that. A lot.

Mito just gave him a look, a smile still at the edge of her lips.

"You've got it baaad," she giggled.

Madara glared at her. She gave him a wide, knowing grin.

Damn Uzumaki.

He just wished she would stop looking so smug about it. He then noticed the snow all around their feet.

He'd wipe that expression off her face.

Madara paused, Mito continuing to walk foreward. He leaned down and discretely packed together some snow into a condensed ball before throwing it with deadly accuracy. It hit the back of the Uzumaki's head dead on, and she let out a shriek as she fell over from the force of the blow.

"Oh, this is war, Madara!" Mito wore a ferocious grin as she stood back up. 

She disappeared into the air.

...Why did Madara suddenly feel regret?

He shivered.

* * *

 

It was snowing again and Hashirama was torn on whether he should celebrate on being inside where it was nice and cozy, or he should weep because he was trapped inside with a mountain of paperwork that could rival the Hokage mountain. He chose to mourn. Why was he Hokage, again?

Luckily, a certain orange tabby popped into the room with playfulness written all over his face. Hashirama smiled at the kitten's entrance.

Naruto began exploring his desk, sniffing and pawing at some scrolls. As the tabby strutted around his desk, Hashirama noticed something. The tabby's little folded ears twitched at every movement of chakra around them each time the shinobi moved from their surveillance shifts. It was such a faint movement, yet Naruto was able to react so easily to it. Hashirama sent a wave of his own chakra. Naruto looked at him and meowed confusedly, almost asking 'what's your problem?'

It was intriguing, and before Hashirama knew it, he was flaring his chakra quite readily. The cat looked at him impatiently, and Hashirama was sure the cat would go for a lunge if he didn't quit it soon.

It seemed Tobirama wasn't the only sensor around here. (Although, his brother was glancing at him, too.)

Naruto must've lost his patience, because then the kitten pounced at him, knocking over his stuffed cat in the process and pawing at his clothes.

He reached over and picked up the fallen feline. Artificial it may be, it was still one of Madara's cats, in a way.

For a brief moment, the image of Madara popped into his head. He thought of the other day, when they were in the forest that felt so much like home and how they tumbled around in the grass and how much he liked Madara's hug and how it was surprisingly gentle and how it made his heart leap and how Madara's cheeks were so red against his pale skin and Hashirama couldn't take his eyes off those fond, dark ones.

He wondered what Madara was up to today-

"Anija!" Tobirama's voice cut off his thoughts.

The office was flooded with bright leaves and bushes. Hashirama must have lost focus for a second. It happened to everyone, though, right?

Tobirama's unimpressed stare said otherwise, but he had near perfect chakra control so Hashirama dismissed it.

Naruto's tail swished in excitement at the change of scenery and leaped into his new environment. He sniffed some of the plants, pawing at one or two leaves. The kitten seemed to have a great time, biting into some and leaping through others.

And then he paused.

He just sat there, orange tail still, no sign of the curiosity or trademark playfulness of the tabby anywhere. Hashirama worried. Were these plants poisonous to cats? Would this hurt Naruto?

His healing chakra was already at his fingertips, ready for action, but as he reached for the kitten, the tabby flopped over, similar to how Kakashi did when he was happy. Or sleepy. Or both.

Then the kitten rolled around on the grounf playfully, lazing around in it with his eyes slit, almost shut in contentment. After a bit, the tabby looked at Hashirama, deep blue meeting his own dark eyes in a foxy glance. Those blue eyes narrowed for a moment, in that one way that was full of trickery and Hashirama could see the mountains of future paperwork flash before his eyes. After one flick of that orange tail, the cat flashed away in a swirl of fur.

"Anija, what did you grow...?!"

Tobirama leaned down to pick out a leaf from one of the many bushes.

"This is catnip!"

"Uh, whoops?"

Tobirama threw his head back and groaned loudly.

Hashirama laughed sheepishly.

* * *

 

Mito had chased him everywhere. Little surprise attacks, hidden seals and jutsu had struck Madara where he least expected them. He had to leave the Uchiha district, knowing there were too many corners that traps could have easily been laid in.

He glanced around, checking behind him, above, below in the wide training field. Snow continued to fall, obscuring his vision in a powdery white. He couldn't rely on just his vision for this. He reached out his chakra, feeling for her swirling signature.

She had to be nearby. She always was. His eyes narrowed as he formed a compact ball of snow. 

Behind him!

Mito sprang from behind a tree, a fierce grin never leaving her face.

She plucked the twin tags in her hair buns out, throwing them out towards him as her hair fell down around her face.

He leapt out of the way as the tags burst into explosions of snow. There was more snow than expected in each tag, and some of it managed to land in his collar.

He hated when anything got near his neck! The freezing snow sent chills all along his back. He glared at the redhead.

She winked at him.

He threw out the snowball he had been holding onto, sending it flying faster than the eye could follow. He knew it would hit. Mito could see it, too, and didn't move. Instead, she pulled out a small tag amd held it up with a flash of chakra, containing the projectile inside with seemingly no effort. He didn't expect less, but...

He'd have to fight fire with fire.

"Come at me!" Mito taunted, dancing around mockingly. He'd show her why the Uchiha were so feared.

He chuckled darkly and scooped another handful of snow as his sharingan sprung to life.

* * *

 

Okay, so maybe this one was Hashirama's fault. Just a little. It was an accident though!

"Anija, this is entirely your fault." Tobirama looked dead inside, a carefully blank expression like that time when Hashirama interrupted a cuddle session with Mito. (He still gushed about that internally. His little brother was adorable sometimes!)

Naruto bounced on the ground, on the walls, and even on the ceiling. There were several Narutos, actually. One of which was currently fighting Hashirama's hair to the death, claws sunken deep into the locks and his blue eyes blown wide. Another had already broken a cat sized hole in the wall that he'd have to fix later.

Also, all their glass was shattered. All of it.

Not just the ones in the office, but also all visible glass in the streets. They'd have to trade with Suna for more.

Somehow the orange kitten led his feline companions to the office while under the influence and they took to the leaves as well.

Sasuke stared at a corner. Really stared, like there was something there watching back that caused his black fur to stand on end. He didn't respond to any coaxing with treats or with toys. He was too far gone.

Sakura was passed out on her back on the ground, small chattering meows escaping her every now and then, a small twitch and a flare of chakra. 

Kakashi went over to her and picked her up with his mouth, draping her over his back. He didn't seem to be affected by the nip and just stood around to supervise. It was a relief that at least one of the cats was still relatively normal.

But then a Naruto leapt over to the black kitten, a challenge written all over that little orange face, and the two disappeared. The remainder of the Narutos dispelled in a cloud of smoke.

So, maybe Konoha was doomed.

* * *

 

"Hold it! Look around you, Madara. It's over, accept your fate!" 

The snowy ground around him had trails in it from where Mito ran, forming into a large array.

A seal. Explosive, if Madara recalled correctly. He wasn't as experienced with seals, but it was common enough to recognize after a glance.

Madara smirked.

"But look around yourself, Uzumaki."

Madara had worked on the array, too. The seal was extended to surround Mito as well. If either of them activated it, they'd both go down. 

They had reached a stalemate.

Mito had proven her battle prowess. Several times. Madara had a good amount of snow all over him, each marking a successful hit from Mito. 

Madara had gotten her good, too, of course. Mito could pass for a snowman with the way she was covered in snow. But, she actually looked a little cold as Madara could see her faint tremoring.

Maybe it was time to dry off.

"Truce?" he asked.

Mito looked like she wanted to protest. (Madara would force her to quit if she insisted on continuing. He refused to get sick again.)

"Truce," she finally answered.

Then Mito chuckled nervously, looking down at the seal around them.

"It's a little unstable. I packed it with a ton of snow, you know? So it might burst. Even without activating it."

She gave him her biggest 'whoops' expression he'd ever seen.

Madara's face scrunched up.

"So you're saying this will explo-"

(Sakura blinked as a large cloud of white erupted in the distance. It looked kind of like a mushroom, and suddenly Sakura found herself getting the munchies. Treats sounded good right about now.)

* * *

 

As Tobirama and Hashirama went through the streets, trying to survey the damage, a faint sound of glass shattering was heard in the distance along with a scream in terror. The storm above Hashirama's head grew.

If Tobirama was a little less himself, he might have rubbed it in. His brother was responsible for the mess this time. But he was above that. (Barely.)

Only part of Konoha was destroyed, luckily. It was the less developed part, where there were no houses, only a couple of shops if any, and Tobirama was certain that the kittens knew that.

At least they had some sense. It made him glad to know that they cared for the village just as much as its founders did, even if they messed around in it.

But still, the clones were a bit excessive. He could sense more than six of each kitten scattered within the village.

Tobirama saw barricades placed along some shops, but to no avail. He saw the little orange tabby scratching at the wooden defense persistently. Half the boards were scratched through. And this was only one of many Naruto clones.

A Sasuke frolicked among the streets, playfully pouncing upon unsuspecting shinobi. He could've sworn they were trained better than to be tricked by a kitten, but Tobirama and his brother watched as grown shinobi and kunoichi were caught in trap after trap, laced in hairballs and fur. He'd have to sort that out later.

But then another pair of black and orange kittens fought between shadows, pouncing on the rooftops and shooting out glitter. Because they could apparently do that, now. And thus the face of his brother that was carved into the Hokage mountain was a lovely shade of sparkling pink.

Sometimes, Tobirama highly regretted ever teaching them anything.

Kakashi curled up in a ball of grey and silver with a still-twitchy Sakura, grooming her down as she pawed at the air. He kind of wanted whatever high she was on right now.

"Tobi?" Hashirama's lowered head swung to glance at his brother.

An explosion of snow burst from the far side of the village. If he listened closely, he could hear faint maniacal laughter. He knew exactly who it was. Mito was always so explosive and he could just picture her expression, full of glee. (He wanted to go over and see it in person, bright and playful the way she always was.)

Tobirama blinked.

"Yes, Anija?"

"You'll help, right?" 

This was going to be so much paperwork. He wouldn't help his brother with any of it.

"Right?" Hashirama said more desperately, storm brewing.

His silence was his only answer.

Hashirama let out a pitiful sound as Sakura crawled over and groomed him.

* * *

 

"I'd use a seal to drain them of their chakra," Mito shrugged, "Bonus points if I can add it to my own."

That sounded like way too much trouble for one enemy.

"Why wouldn't you just fireball them?" Madara crossed his arms.

Mito gave him a flat look.

"Not all of us are obsessed with fire, thank you very much," she deadpanned.

"Excuse me?!"

They looked at each other for a moment, then Madara turned away with a huff.

There was nothing wrong with a little fire. That was how he'd dried both of them off, after all. Fire was always a go-to solution.

He was _not_ obsessed.

During their conversation, they passed by a younger Uchiha woman going down the street in a hurry for whatever reason. She wasn't bad looking, with dark hair, a navy outfit, and a rigid jaw. There were even a few flecks of pink sparkles in her hair, making her hair closer to an indigo.

"Hmm... seven. Maybe eight," Mito rated, twisting her hand in a so-so motion.

"Ten. All Uchiha are exempt from the rules." It was a fact.

"Unfair."

"The Uchiha are-" Madara began, but cut himself off.

He felt two small signatures head straight towards them. He would have reacted, but he was familiar with the spiraling chakra and the warm, fiery signature.

Madara glanced up, spotting his kittens leaping through the air in blurs of black and orange. It must've been Naruto and Sasuke. Little meows filled the air as the two got closer.

Naruto settled on a snow covered roof, Sasuke mirroring him on another. The two locked eyes and then simultaneously looked at Madara. Just one look and he was filled with a sense of dread.

The orange tabby built up chakra, as did the black kitten.

"Narut-"

...And then Madara was covered in snow. Everywhere. Again. In his collar, in his hair, all over his clothes. If he was a lesser man, he might've shrieked.

And after he'd just dried off!

He could feel it, Uchiha eyes all over him prickling like needles. 

He sneezed.

And there went the last of his reputation. If there was even anything to salvage, anyways.

Madara sighed, ignoring Mito's snorting laughter.

"You're menaces. Both of you."

And the worst part was... he was used to it at this point.

Naruto gave a cheery meow in response, leaping from the roof and taking his place on top of Madara's head as always, wrestling with a tuft of his hair. Sasuke's tail swayed and his big black eyes seemed to sparkle, hopping on over onto Madara's right shoulder and brushing against him.

Kakashi came from along the corner, carrying a dazed Sakura, side by side with Obito. Both cats looked exasperated and Sakura just looked sleepy. Obito kept his distance, but Madara noticed those black and white ears perking around and Kakashi's lazy eye darting around more frequently.

They all seemed a bit more active today.

Well, as long as they didn't hurt themselves, Madara didn't mind too much.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cat weed. :00000000 The classic, am I right? I tried to make Naruto's tabby pattern stick out more here, I think it came out well! But yeah, once again, no excuses here about being late. I'm just terrible with timing like usual. -_- Hope you enjoyed it though! Thanks for sticking with the story!! Ideas, suggestions, and comments are always appreciated, like, a ton!!! :3 ♥♥♥  
> Edit: So it turns out cat nip is more like a bush, so I fixed that up! (Thanks for telling me :3) Happy reading!


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madara spends a day with Hashirama. Mito does what she does best. (Feat. Naruto)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: Someone should update/post a HashiMada fic.  
> Also me: *doesn't update*  
> But... Wow. > Two weeks? Whoops.

What surprised Madara the most about his cats was how much they slept. When they were awake, they were little menaces (menaces that he loved, but menaces, nonetheless.) Now, however, they were sleeping. He didn't realize they would sleep for so many hours at a time. He glanced at his cats who were piled up in the beside him, black, grey, and orange.

Naruto laid curled up in a ball with Sasuke and Sakura, a warm pile of fur and purrs. Kakashi was nowhere to be seen that morning. Perhaps he went to Hashirama's place to find Obito. He faintly wondered if his friend had the silver feline in his lap right about now. If he was smiling softly in that tired but joyful way. It made his stomach flutter in that weird way at the thought. (If he reached his chakra out, he could feel the heat of Hashirama's chakra in the distance, warm and inviting along with a faint tingle of Kakashi. So he was right.)

Meanwhile here Madara was working on a stack of paperwork early in the morning. A very large stack of paperwork. Paperwork about a certain group of cats, to be exact. Something had happened the other day, something destructive and littered with fur. Madara didn't know what exactly it was, but it led to the kittens causing more trouble than they had let on.

Look at them, having the nerve to act all cute and innocent.

Naruto opened a single blue eye tiredly.

"Naruto? You know you're responsible for this, right?" He pointed a finger at the pile of papers.

Said kitten's eye closed, the tabby settling himself against his friends.  
It looked like the kittens would be asleep for a while. That meant less paperwork, at least. He ran a hand through the Sasuke's fur, causing the black kitten to let out a meow that was a half purr, almost a trill.

Madara sighed.

They were all impossible... and adorable. He did it again and Sasuke nudged his head into Madara's hand, soft and fluffy.

This was nice, even if the paperwork wasn't.

* * *

 

Madara had been more kept to himself and his cats in the last couple of days, having to reign in the felines to prevent further damage to the village. That meant less paperwork, but then, that meant less time Madara himself spent out and about. And when Hashirama had last seen him in the street, he was busy hanging out with Mito, the redhead chatting animatedly about one thing or another. (Don't get him wrong, he loved his future sister-in-law, but that was _his_ best friend... A storm cloud may or may not have brewed over his head.)

Even Tobi, (both his brother and the cat) had seen Madara more than Hashirama had! Sure it was just for paperwork and meeting purposes, but still...

So, Hashirama felt entitled to be a little jealous. Just a little! Others were seeing Madara for the person he is. That caring, (kind, Mito's words supplied, echoing in his head) man that Hashirama had always seen. That was great, wonderful, even.

But then, Hashirama had yet to decipher those quieter moments Madara shared with him that always left him feeling happy and oddly warm in his stomach. Moments like those, and Hashirama still wanted more of them.

So when Hashirama quite literally ran into Madara and Mito, he leapt on it. Maybe he could spend time with both of them, today.

"Madara! Long time, no see!" he greeted, waving a hand at the two of them.

Mito nudged the Uchiha, a devious smirk along her lips. Madara sent her a glare that didn't have any heat to it, but he finally looked at Hashirama.

"It's been a while," Madara took Hashirama's hand, cool in his grasp, "Let's go out."

Madara was looking for him, too? Hashirama felt a relief pass through him, knowing he was just as important to his friend as he let him drag him away with that hand entwined with his own.

"But what about Mito?" he asked.

"We were just saying goodbye, anyways," Madara answered.

Mito's voice called after them.

"Have fun, boys!"

"Fuck you, Mito!" Hot and fiery, as usual, Madara picked up the pace. Maybe she was talking about his brother, again. It was nice to hear, but Hashirama could totally understand his his friend felt when she got too... invested.

When Hashirama turned to look at her as she was further and further away, she sent him a wink.

* * *

 

Hashirama accepted his date (Madara hadn't used that specific word but a small part of his head liked to say that) and as they wandered aimlessly though the village, stopping at different places and casually talking, Madara realized he... wasn't nervous. At all, really. 

It felt natural, being close to his friend like this, hand in hand and simply enjoying the moment. It felt like he belonged there. And among the rest if the villagers, shinobi and civilian alike, Madara felt welcome, for once. (Or maybe Hashirama was just so bright that he distracted him from any looks sent their way. Madara didn't really care.)

"No cat this time?" Hashirama gestured to his clean shirt. For once, there were no clumps of fur in it. (Madara knew that wouldn't last for long, but he savored the clean clothes.)

"I don't carry them everywhere," the Uchiha defended.

Hashirama gave him a look.

...Okay, so he kind of did, though. He wouldn't admit it, though. He sent a defiant look of his own back at the Hokage.

A tense moment fell between them before they both broke off the stare-down and he huffed while Hashirama burst into laughter.

It always felt so natural to relax around Hashirama.

He promised himself he would take Hashirama out more. Maybe he'd even say it was a date. He tried his best to control his heartbeat at the thought.

He noticed the Senju's eyes linger on the display case of a dango shop.

Hashirama had always liked sweets. Maybe he'd bring him some, just to see those features brighten again after a meeting.

And then Madara felt chills drag up and down his back. A stare, piercing into the back of his head. Madara looked over.

That was when he saw it. A big, bright green potted plant. Two red balls stuck out on top of the bush, sandaled feet were visible from the bottom, and a hand giving a thumbs up poked through the side. It was winter. Literally every other plant save a few were bare.

Why would she do this?!

Then a furry orange face peeked out of the pot, big blue eyes happily greeting Madara.

Hashirama didn't seem to notice as they continued down the street.

The bush scurried after them. Madara facepalmed.

...It wasn't even a henge. He felt disappointed in himself that it took so long to notice.

How long had Mito been following them?

Madara felt like an idiot.

But then, Hashirama was an idiot, too. At least they were both disappointments to the shinobi world.

Hashirama was still actively chatting about the genin team he had sent out and how cute they were. Madara liked how much this village meant to Hashirama, how far things had gotten in Konoha that these things could happen...

A faint rustle reminded him of their Uzumaki stalker.

...But Madara didn't care how much he liked this man, Hashirama was so dense he wanted to pound his face in. (He was a shinobi, the _Hokage_ , how could he not see that?!)

* * *

 

A date, finally!

Mito cheered from inside her potted  plant. She hoped things were going well. Madara deserved to be happy with his number one. And Hashirama really cared about him, from what Mito had seen.

Maybe she and Naruto could help them out, just a little.

She looked down at the tabby through the branches of her bushy disguise. Big blue eyes looked up to meet hers, and he let out a small meow.

Like Mito could do anything but coo at that.

She felt a kinship with the ninneko she didn't feel with the rest no matter how much she loved all of them. Naruto felt closer, like a distant relative, maybe. She scratched under his chin, just the way the tabby liked it, taking solace in those trilled purrs.

"Well, Naruto," she asked, "Think we should help your cat dad out?" Naruto let out an affirmative meow, pawing at the rim of the pot.

Madara had already spotted her a while back, so she went ahead and got closer. Although, it surprised her how long it took for him to see her. He was just that far gone when he was with Hashirama.

Adorable. Mito squealed internally. She would definitely get them together. It was a must!

And what better way to bring them together than a shared experience?

She thought about it. Pranks would be good. Naruto was an expert at those and could help her out easily. And then she thought of that one jutsu she and Tobirama had been working on. She wouldn't use as much chakra as needed for full speed but it would increase her speed some. Then she could run in and pull something big with Naruto. Her boo really was something, coming up with that seal. His eyes lit up the further they had gotten into that one project, smiling more than she thought he realized. He just had such a mind on him, always thinking of bigger and grander things. It made her happy to see him happy.

And oh god, if she took him to Uzushio... She could just imagine the wonder in those eyes. He'd be so happy, she just knew it! Her heart fluttered faster than her fiancé's hiraishin.

Naruto pawed at her bushy form, letting out an impatient new. Okay, so maybe she was a little distracted.

Her leaves rustled as she chased after the duo.

"Do your thing, Naruto!" The kitten needed no more encouragement, he built up his wild chakra into those paws as Mito brought them over to their targets.

Paint splattered all over Madara's noticeably fur-free shirt.

Madara looked taken aback, his hair sticking up kind of like Tobi, the cat, not her fiancé. Hashirama had also frozen, seeing her for the first time.

Mito grinned as she flickered away.

"Run!" She faintly heard Madara say.

Then they started to run at speeds most would struggle with. She huffed out a laugh. She gave chase, obviously.

(She noticed that they didn't let go of each other's hands as they fled and let out a cheer.

They'd get together in no time with her help!)

* * *

 

Obito stuck around the not-so-scary albino man, so Kakashi did, too. The man was walking back and forth, looking at a long paper and then back at a big tub of ink, humming as he sketched a pattern onto another paper.

This was boring, he could see why Obito liked it. It was quiet, there were no loud sounds (neither he nor Obito liked those) and the man they were with gave them pets every now and then. The scarred cat looked comfortable, so Kakashi stayed, curling up with his friend on a table. Maybe he could catch a nap while he was here. Obito was warm, even though his fur was shorter than Kakashi's own.

The ninneko looked out the window just as a blur of bright colors flew by, followed by a flash of green.

Kakashi blinked. He didn't realize the plants were growing back, already.

His single eye narrowed.

And Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were in it. Also, it had legs. His fur stuck up uncomfortably. But then he heard their faint, happy meows and didn't sense any unfamiliar chakra and he calmed down some. Obito got a little rankled at the noise, though.

The group seemed to slow down and it turned out to be Madara and the tree man, Hashirama. Looked like Naruto got to them, if the paint all over them was any indication.

The bush with his kitten trio inside leapt up and onto a wall, the kittens locking on to the duo and meowing out globs of paint. Kakashi watched them. Naruto and Sasuke were working together, for once. As Madara dodged around some of them, the bush flashed from a different direction almost instantly, shooting out more paint. Hashirama was just as bad, getting a hit to the back with a vibrant shade of blue from Sakura.

Definitely Naruto's idea.

The group began to exchange muffled words.

"Mito, what the fuck?!" That was Madara.

"Who is this Mito you speak of? I am Bush-sama!"

Way too dramatic. Kakashi yawned, stretching his paws.

"Mito," the tatooed man sighed softly, shaking his head as he looked out the same window from beside Kakashi.

"You're the only normal one," the tattooed man told him, running a pale hand in his silver fur gently.

Didn't he know it. Kakashi's tail swished. His kittens were back at it again and Kakashi would have to chase them down later to get all that energy out of them.

Did cat vacations exist? Because he wanted one now, preferably. Either that, or payment in that one fish that swam around these parts.

(Tobirama felt a sense of dread for the remaining koi fish.)

Obito started grooming him, a rarity. Kakashi would accept this as payment. He rolled over so the scarred feline could get his back. Obito was good at these things, so this was a treat.

* * *

 

Madara tightened his grip on Hashirama's hand and led him through the village. Hashirama didn't know when, but Sasuke and Sakura had joined Mito's little potted plant, flinging out jutsu of their own towards the duo.

At some point he and Madara both began to laugh, enjoying the chase that they could have easily avoided. Times like these left Hashirama a bit breathless, seeing Madara let down his guard and have a good time, even if both if them were brightly colored with varying colors of paint.

"This way!" He pulled the Uchiha around a corner and into a much quieter section of the village, bringing the Uchiha close to his body to hide them better. (As well as he could hide lime green-painted hair, anyways.)

A bright green bush chased past the alleyway cackling manically, Hashirama holding his breath to hopefully not be heard. Eventually, the mixture of meows and sandaled footsteps of the bush faded into the crowds.

"I think we lost them," He stated, watching as a green blur moved further and further away.

"They're all crazy," Madara huffed, but the small grin on his face didn't leave as he gazed into the streets. Hashirama faintly wondered if Madara could hear how fond he was of all of them, Mito and the cats. His smile was always the brightest when it was them. 

He kind of wanted to have that same effect on his friend.

"Mito's such a bad influence on them," Madara chuckled into his shoulder, "I had paperwork about them just this morning."

Hashirama laughed nervously. He really hoped Madara would never find out the real reason for their excited behaviors the other day.

"Sounds about right," Hashirama agreed. He'd seen what Mito was capable of.

"But she's not bad," the Uchiha said, and Hashirama was hit with a sense of déjà vu. Hadn't he had a conversation like this with Mito about Madara?

They both really cared about each other. It made him happy that Madara had someone like that. (He hoped Madara spoke that fondly of him to Mito.)

They grew silent, the fainter sounds of the streets filling the air. It was actually well lit, the sun still up high in the skies. He could see his friend clearly.

It registered to him that he had Madara here pressed against his chest. It also registered to him that he didn't want to let go of him either. It felt right, and Hashirama didn't want to leave the Uchiha's embrace just yet.

"Hey Madara," he began more quietly, "can we just stay like this for a bit?"

Then his friend seemed to see how close they were to each other as his cheeks turned faintly red.

Madara looked around for a second, taking in the much emptier streets. He still seemed a little nervous about it, silent for a moment before he replied.

"As long as you want." Those pale arms wrapped around him, Madara closing his eyes as he hugged him closer.

It was another reason why Hashirama liked being alone with the Uchiha. It was part of why he was his best friend. They shared dreams ( _this_ dream, all around them, bustling, breathing, and alive), Madara could match him, give him a run for his money in battle, spend time with him for hours on end without realizing it.

And... they could share things like this, too.

Hashirama's heart beat out of his chest as he buried his head into the Uchiha's shoulder and stretched the moment out for as long as he could.

(Later that night, Hashirama dreamt of something warm. A discordant laugh and pale arms that wrapped around him surprisingly gently. He wanted to hold them back, and as he made to curl his arms around that warmth, Hashirama found himself awake, lying on his futon. He felt loss, like he'd had the world in his hands, vibrant and grand and amazing, and lost it.

He hoped that dream would revisit him, open and inviting and sweet as he fell asleep again.)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bush!Mito makes me laugh XDDD So yep, thank you for reading! I wanted more HashiMada, sooo yeah. BTW, have you all seen the Samurai 8 preview? (Samurai 8 is Kishi's next manga) It looks good! :D  
> Anyways, thanks for all your comments last chapter! They were very sweet and I'm sorry about all the late updates. I bounce between ideas a lot until boom! It's been two weeks ;-; I'll try to avoid it (but no promises Q.Q) Comments, suggestions, ideas, and feedback are always appreciated!! ♥♥♥


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team Catkashi goes on a mission with Madara. Mito and Tobi are goals and Hashirama is a third wheel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo thanks for commenting! You all are great! :D I keep letting time get away from me!! >.< Better late than never...

Tobirama thought they were ready. Hashirama did, too. Even Mito, who loved the ninneko to bits agreed that they could handle an out-of-village mission. Naruto and Sasuke had been all but begging for one, meowing their hearts out and scratching through Hashirama's desk every time he gave them something to do in the village.

So he gave them one. A delivery. That was all it was.

Madara, of course, still freaked out about it.

That was why he and the Uchiha were in this store, putting on coat after coat on the cats (Hashirama hadn't even realized that coats for animals existed) until Madara was satisfied that they'd stay warm outside. 

"Don't you think that's too much?" When Madara held up a stuffy looking coat that would definitely make it hard for any of the ninneko to move around.

Madara glared at him.

Even when he worried and was kind of angry about the while thing, Madara was still so sweet.

Naruto ended up with a bright blue coat, while Sasuke wore a darker shade with the Uchiha symbol on his back. Sakura enjoyed her red one with white patterns sewn into the cloth, and they all looked happy with their new, warm coats. Hashirama was happy to note that the coats were loose enough on the ninneko so that they could move easily.

Kakashi, however...

"He loves it."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

Kakashi's one eye was easily able to convey the message, 'help me.' He had obviously liked the other green coat he'd tried on earlier more, but Madara's eyes sparkled when he saw the Uchiha crest on Kakashi's outfit and Hashirama was torn between that one begging eye and the sparkling black ones of Madara's.

Madara just looked so proud, his lips turning upwards and in that moment, Hashirama couldn't think of anything prettier than that smile. He didn't want to take that away from his friend. (He didn't want anything to take it away, really.)

...Sorry, Kakashi.

The silver ninneko let out a pathetic meow as Madara scooped him up, blue coat and all.

Then, Madara took all of them to different nin-animal stores, most run by Inuzuka that eyed the ninneko warily, but were friendly enough for Madara to not glare them out of existence.

Madara had  _lists_  of what he needed. As he listed them out to the shop owner, Hashirama's head spun under the sheer number of things Madara wanted. It warmed his heart, how much he cared. But also, Madara could be a bit too protective. But then again, the cats were his family, really. If one day Tobirama turned into a cat, Hashirama would be the same.

By the time they were in front of the village gates, Naruto looked dazed, Sasuke was puffed up, and Sakura took a ride on a grumpy Kakashi.

"Get in front of me," Madara told them, "I can't stand anything being behind me."

In other words, 'Stay in front of me so I know you're safe.'

Sasuke hopped onto his shoulder instead, while Naruto looked rearing to go and Kakashi dragged Sakura in front of Madara.

Hashirama chuckled after Madara was out of view. He could see right through him.

* * *

 

A C rank. Nothing on Madara, but he glanced at his cats as they jumped between the barren trees towards Suna. He looked at Naruto, who bursted at the seams with more chakra than a kitten should really have. Sasuke, sharp and cunning with a soft center. Sakura, with the strength to take down boulders using one paw. They were strong, he knew, but he couldn't help but worry.

Naruto meowed again.

"Yes, we'll stop for food soon, Naruto."

Madara found himself talking to them quite a lot. It filled the silence and kept them comfortable in different environments. And... he found himself comfortable, too. Maybe this was what other shinobi found so appealing about working in teams. Madara didn't think he could talk so easily with strangers that still gave him looks behind his back that pierced into his mind, but with just his ninneko, he didn't mind.

A chakra signature bursted towards their location, Madara's hands were already forming seals before he could think about it.

So much for just a delivery.

Ranks were still being hashed out, and combat was still a possibility even at such a low rank. One signature-no, three sped right towards them. He only spared a moment to see Naruto's ears sensing the same thing. With one flicker if his chakra, the cats scattered, hidden along with the scrolls. He really hoped they were ready for this.

(A big part of him said "Fuck this mission, I'm taking them home." He agreed with it wholeheartedly. If things got out of hand, well...

Those who abandoned the mission were scum, but those who let their cats get hurt were worse than scum.

For a split moment, he felt Kakashi's eye on him, but their opponents arrived and he couldn't linger on it.)

From the bare trees, three shinobi without headbands leaped towards him.

The first nin came straight for him, another right on his tail. The third checked their surroundings, but Madara taught his cats to hide well. His first opponent was adept at taijutsu, but nowhere near Madara's level. He blocked the jabs and hard kicks directed at him and took the first opening, when the ninja pushed his punch a little too far, right into the Uchiha's range.

The man saw his eyes, red and spinning with tomoe, and froze.

Madara twisted himself over to get a grip on the shinobi's arm, pulling himself down and sweeping out his legs from underneath him and slashing him with his scythe.

A shadow loomed over him, the other shinobi. He grinned.

_Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!_

Fire blossomed and grew, expanding and swallowing everything in sight, nin included.

He swirled around, his hair trailing behind him, took a chakra enhanced step, and flew.

The last kunoichi didn't even realize what hit her until his scythe finished her off.

And then he heard a shuffle behind him. He felt it, another signature. He must've taken out a clone! And the signature was right by...

The cats!

The kunoichi of the group was chasing down an orange tabby.

Said orange tabby only got so far before he slipped on a thin layer of ice. The kunoichi took advantage in the cat's fall and let a shuriken fly in his direction.

Madara's nightmare flashed before his eyes.

"Naruto!"

The clone popped. Madara could sense the real ninneko getting distance away from the fight, just like Madara taught him to. Just because his cats could fight, didn't mean that he wanted them fighting.

Madara let out a shaky sigh in relief and quickly finished up the job.

* * *

 

Mito giggled at something Tobirama said. It was some kind of sealing joke, so Hashirama didn't quite get it, but it was a contagious kind of laugh, where Hashirama felt laugher bubbling up in him as well anyway. The three of them had gone out to grab snacks at a little bakery.

Obito tagged along, the scarred cat getting some kind of treat from the vendors. The owner seemed to recognize him, so maybe he was a regular here. Hashirama scratched under the feline's chin absentmindedly and took the time to observe the duo in front of him.

Mito was much calmer around Tobirama, and his brother livened up near her. (Because really, Tobirama of all people telling a joke? Only Mito could do something like that.) They balanced each other well. He let himself smile as Mito fed her fiancé a spoonful of her dessert. Tobirama hummed and gave a nod, not noticing as Mito snuck a bite of his own treat. She gave Hashirama a wink and he had to hold back a snicker.

But... He kind of wished Madara was here so they could do the same. He bet that Madara would love this shop. Sure, the Uchiha wasn't a sweets fanatic, but he could appreciate when something was good. The chair next to him suddenly felt empty, and Hashirama bit into his cake sullenly.

Tobirama seemed more at ease around her, which was great, but then he wrapped his arm around her side and leaned down for a kiss with a serene expression on his face. (He probably forgot Hashirama was here, if he was being honest with himself.) Hashirama's face reddened and he felt like he wasn't really needed there... or wanted there... Or just, he didn't want to really be there, if they were going to be like this all day.

Obito gave him an expression Hashirama was sure was identical on his own face. He let out a small, curt meow, sounding along the lines of 'how do you think I feel?'

Poor Obito was stuck in the same boat with him, since Kakashi was away in that mission, too.

Hashirama nuzzled his face into that black and white fur. They could be third wheels together. (He wished Madara came back soon.)

* * *

 

Kakashi purred under Madara's attention as he wiped the last of the dirt and sand out of his fur and coat. This was going to be a disaster to clean once they got back. Kakashi's ear flickered.

"Yeah, I know."

Kakashi glanced at him, his single lazy eye staring at him.

"But you look better in this one!" he argued.

A lazy meow.

"Sakura seems like a red kind of girl."

Kakashi hopped out of Madara's hands.

"Don't bring Naruto into this! He's orange!"

Kakashi wasn't looking at him.

"Kakashi."

He didn't move.

"Kakashi...!"

The cat groomed his face, effectively ignoring the Uchiha.

"Look, I'll get you the green one later."

The cat finally turned around and happily rolled onto his back, probably getting even more sand in his fur than before. Madara sighed and pet the silver fur until the ninneko purred happily. 

...Kakashi still looked better in the Uchiha crest.

* * *

 

It was late. Hashirama sat on top of his futon, looking out the window into the sky. It was a silent night.

Hashirama wondered what Madara was doing at that moment.

Training Naruto to sense nearby enemies? Or perhaps he was cutting them down effortlessly without the aids of his cats, not wanting to endanger them. Madara's soft spot for them was prominent, so it was probably the latter.

Madara had always been a sight to ee, especially in battle. Hashirama wished he could've seen it.

Maybe he was cuddling the night away with Sasuke or Kakashi, wary but relaxed, away from the pressures of everything: the clan, the village, the piles and piles of paperwork. The stars were visible tonight, twinkling away in the sky. Was Madara looking at the same stars? Or had he fallen asleep by then, the light speckling his face and highlighting those handsome features?

The Senju house was still silent, since his brother had been dragged out by his fiancée for the night.

It was a tad lonely.

Hashirama found himself wishing he had gone on that mission too as he leaned his head on his hand and sighed.

* * *

 

It was always harder for Madara to sleep outside. It meant more danger, more enemies, and constant exposure to anything. It also meant more nightmares, since he was always on edge, so Madara decided to stay up and keep watch for the night.

Luckily, the delivery went well. The cats had done a good job keeping the scroll safe, and now Madara could focus on getting them back to Konoha. A light gust of wind blew through the plains the group found themselves in.

The cats didn't seem bothered. He was glad. The last thing Madara wanted was for his ninneko to get sick on some mission.

Sakura kneaded against his side with her little grey paws as Madara rested against the tree. She let out one of her rare little meows and Madara looked at her. The moon shone above them all, making Sakura's green eyes positively glow in the lighting. She bunted her head against Madara's side again and he let out a light hiss at the pressure. It was one of his bad sides, where he'd been nicked by a well-placed kunai.

"Not there, Sakura."

The kitten rolled her eyes and curled up against him instead, letting out a long, light little purr.

She was much calmer at night, compared to the other cats. Naruto and Sasuke took refuge in Kakashi's fluffy silver coat, and the group stayed close to Madara and Sakura. He hoped they would be warm for the night. They'd be back soon, and then he would get them all a treat for being so responsible.

Naruto would love it. He always loved any treats Madara gave him, but he especially liked the tuna flavored ones from the local Uchiha vendor. Sasuke didn't have much preference one way or another, but he'd always defer to Sakura about which foods were the best. If the grey kitten turned her nose up at something, Sasuke usually would, too. And Kakashi. Well... Kakashi would eat anything. Madara grinned, thinking about what else they could do once they were back in Konoha. Back home...

It really was home at this point, wasn't it?

Sakura's rumbles lulled him to a rare nap for the night, while he expanded his senses to keep watch for any enemies.

The next morning, he woke up surprisingly early, with more energy than he thought he had. He stretched  while he had the time to do so, and noticed a lack of the usual aches that accompanied a good fight. He lifted his shirt to inspect it.

Huh.

He could've sworn there was an injury on that side.

(Sakura's eyes gleamed as she flicked her tail.)

* * *

 

It was late when Madara finally returned to Konoha. The sky was dark and the village was engulfed in shadows save for the few lanterns scattered through the streets. Luckily for him, cats were nocturnal and Madara didn't have to carry four cats home. Kakashi trotted along beside him, looking pleased with the outcome of the mission. Sasuke had looked a little cold, so Madara brought the black kitten into his arms and held him close.

He found Hashirama sitting next to the village gates, asleep in a small patch of grass. It irked him because that was the Hokage and he was just sleeping there. Where was the security? Sure, he could easily defend himself but it was the principal of the thing.

He came closer and bent down to look at his friend. He ran a hand through Hashirama's hair lightly, taking in the Hokage's calm face, eyes shut and light snores escaping those lips. He took this moment, etched it into his memory because Hashirama was waiting for him, and that meant more to him than he'd care to admit.

Then those dark eyes opened and Madara jumped.

"Madara," Hashirama greeted, albeit sleepily, "welcome home!" He stood up and gave him a hug, mindful of Sasuke, who was enjoying Madara's embrace.

If Hashirama got any closer, Madara was pretty sure he'd explode. He was glad it was night, because Madara was sure his face was on fire.

"You're going to get sick out here."

Was it grass that Hashirama had been sleeping in? Madara supposed he was wrong, because it was a patch of bright green clovers. (Kakashi had curled up in the clover patch as soon as the Senju had gotten up.)

Hashirama's face brightened, and Madara inhaled sharply because it felt like forever since he'd seen those eyes, seen that smile, or felt the warmth of Hashirama's hugs. He didn't realize how much he missed it until he was here, right  his friend's side. He let himself bask in the Senju's company.

"Yeah, well, I missed you! And Tobi sensed you coming back, so I knew you'd be here soon, and I went over to the gates to wait. And did you know there's this bakery down the street by the Yamanaka's place that's just lovely-"

It was good to be home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for bearing with me and my slow AF updates >.< Last week of school, AAAAAAHHHH :0000  
> Not sure how well I did with fight scenes, since I wrote them a while ago and it never got used till now :0. I wasn't sure whether to give the kitties their shippuden outfits or not. I just settled with their first ones. Cakashi does not like his coat ;-; poor Kaka, he wanted the jonin vest one.  
> Comments, suggestions, ideas, and feedback would be great!! ♥♥♥


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dynamic entry! More cats show up and Hashirama is starting to realize things. Slowly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for commenting, it keeps me motivated! >w< And would you look at that, it wasn't two weeks! (Barely) >:D

"Thanks," Madara turned away, but Mito caught a light dust of red over his cheeks as he did so.

He held the cloths gently in his hand, tracing over the new spiralled patterns sewn into the strips. They were new ribbons for the cats' hitai-ate. 

Madara had kept complaining over and over again about the cats being everywhere and nowhere, and how he wanted to keep track of them before they got out of hand. Like he could hide anything from her. It was obvious whenever Mito glanced at his eyes.

He just wanted to make sure they were safe.

His gaze softened when the metal plates of the hitai-ate were secured to their new ribbons, and they were tied loosely around each feline's neck.

"And a tiger seal will summon them?" he asked.

"Yep!" Mito answered cheerfully.

The cats were ninneko, yes, but they weren't summons. The seal she added to the ribbons would give a similar effect to summoning and soothe the Uchiha's worries somewhat. Mito grinned. She had made it with the help of Tobi, and he had jumped on the idea. It worked like a charm when tested, and Tobirama had given it his _seal_ of approval. Mito laughed internally at the joke.

Madara's chakra flickered once and the cats scattered. Impressive.

His hands came together in a seal, chakra building before he brought them to the ground. A puff of smoke emerged around him as the seal expanded. And then, silence.

Madara stared into the cloud of smoke.

And stared.

"What's the matter, Madara? Did it not- _oh_."

It wasn't Naruto, or Sasuke, or Sakura, or Kakashi. Hell, this wasn't even Obito!

Mito stared, too.

So did the two cats. They were both black, puffy to the point of being able to be mistaken for balls of pure fur. The adult one with an orange scarf held a kitten in his mouth by the scruff, big, rounded eyes determined as the feline held their gazes and let out a blaringly loud meow despite the fact that there was a kitten in his mouth.

Mito paled.

That was... not supposed to happen.

* * *

 

Madara had no room for this. But here they were, two more cats wandering his house in curiosity. And he could just see by looking at the two black cats: They'd make so many furballs.

He shuddered.

It wasn't like he could send them back. Madara didn't know where he had summoned them from, abandoning them would be too heartless for even him, and he feared trying to reverse it could hurt them.

The adult cat was big, but more bushy than fat. Gai, Madara called him, had two round eyes that pierced straight into a person's soul and wore a loose orange scarf.

And he was hyper, really hyper. He sniffed Kakashi curiously, circling the ninneko with a playful swish to his tail. Kakashi gave him a bored look and rolled over. Gai moved to get his attention, and the silver feline pawed at his face. The black cat took it as a game and leapt away, ready to play and meowed so loud that Madara was sure that people in Uzu could hear it.

Kakashi blinked, looked at Madara, and back to Gai, bored, rolling over once more and Gai ran around him again.

Gai trotted to the silver ninneko's face and meowed again. The thing was, Gai had a weak back leg, so his happy trots became more like a teeter totter that was fairly endearing. Kakashi's single lazy eye watched the black cat come in and out of his vision until it suddenly sharpened and the silver feline tackled him.

(Madara wasn't sure what the problem with that leg was, but Mito had said she'd work on a medical seal for it, since it didn't seem to be an injury for some reason. He really hoped the cat was like that before he summoned him. The idea of any feline getting hurt sent a pang through him. And if it was because of his attempt to summon his cats earlier...)

Lee, the black kitten, had folded ears like Naruto and Gai, along with a bob for a tail rather than a long, bushy one like Gai. The kitten fit right in with the others, meowing in introduction before Naruto tackled him to play.

They tumbled around for a while, Sasuke and Sakura eventually joining in to give Lee a warm welcome.

Madara turned back to look at Gai, and found Kakashi chasing him around the house. Kakashi never ran, at least, not often. But there was a twinkle in the ninneko's eye that warmed something in Madara. He was as playful as a kitten as Gai bounced away from him happily.

So, more cats weren't a bad thing. (But six was the limit. He swore!)

* * *

 

Hashirama wondered what Mito had dragged his brother away for when she burst into the office yelling about summoning seals, but his brother was gone with her in a flash and he hadn't gotten to hear what really happened. He didn't think it had to do with Madara, and he certainly didn't expect it to end with a cat, but as he visited his friend, it turned out that that was exactly what happened.

Hashirama approached the Uchiha head's home with a spring in his step. He wanted to spend more time with his friend, especially considering they hadn't gotten to spend time together too much, first with meetings and paperwork, and later with missions. He knocked at the door, letting a bit if his chakra leak out so Madara could tell he was there. 

Said Uchiha came out, looking a little frazzled, but the light in his eyes stated that it was nothing serious. He just looked a little tired as his dark eyes settled to meet Hashirama's.

"Hashirama," Madara said, "Hashirama, help me."

Hashirama tiled his head in confusion.

"Help with what, Madara?"

"Too many. There's just too many."

"Too many wha-"

A black kitten with round eyes revealed itself from the mane of hair that was Madara's.

Oh.

That wasn't Sasuke. He urged his friend to continue.

"This is Lee," his friend said simply. (Hashirama mentally congratulated himself for telling the difference between the black cats.) 

"Oh. The more the merrier...?"

A loud meow interrupted them, coming from the main room.

"That's Gai," the Uchiha explained, completely unfazed by the sheer volume of the meow, or by the following crash coming from behind him.

Little Lee just looked on with a blank expression, simply happy to be in the Uchiha's hair. Madara looked up at the kitten, who looked down at him and mewed just as loudly as Gai. His friend's visible eye softened just a bit.

Madara had two more cats, and it made him _happy_. And that made Hashirama happy, too. He smiled. What else could he do when his friend looked so content? He followed Madara into his home.

Inside, Naruto was tumbling around with Sakura, surprisingly enough, and the grey kitten pounced on her friend while Sasuke curled up in the kitchen. (Also, was Madara's house always this messy? Hashirama noticed that while there was usually a light amount fur on almost all the furniture, but there was even more this time around.)

Gai, the older black cat, instantly jumped on Hashirama's lap the moment he sat down and meowed, pressing his furry face against his hand. He pet the cat until Gai was sprawled out over him, purring instantly. It was adorable. The only thing that would make it better was if Madara was there, too. The Uchiha's hugs always warmed him up inside, too. 

He cooed at the cat, and Gai meowed back, taking all the affection he could get. Hashirama eventually felt eyes on him and looked up to see Madara watching him with a contemplative expression.

"Wanna join?" Hashirama invited, spreading his arms. 

Gai joined his cause, giving Madara a wide eyed look and rolling over, showing his belly to the Uchiha.

Madara fell to the two of them working together and joined Hashirama on the couch, leaning over the Senju to pet the black feline. (Madara was close. Really close and his hair brushed against Hashirama.) Gai swished his bushy tail back and forth happily. One of those smaller smiles stretched across his face for a moment and Hashirama's breath caught.

(He internally thanked the cat a thousand times.)

* * *

  

In the morning, Madara found his house even messier than when Naruto deliberately trashed it. He knew that the cats would run about sometimes at night, especially Gai, who Madara had found preferred to cuddle up in the morning and go wild in the evening, but he had limits.

He sat them all down for a talk. Sasuke looked confused, his dark eyes shining. Naruto looked bored, as did Kakashi. Gai teetered around because he couldn't sit still, and Lee looked out of it, watching Sakura.

"We need house rules, because this isn't working. Who wants to go first?"

Sakura's tail swayed.

"Great idea, Sakura. No climbing the bookshelf. Any others?"

Lee brushed up against her and she swatted him.

"Yes, I agree, Lee. I know you can't help it sometimes, but keep the roughhousing to a minimum."

Sakura groomed Sasuke and Lee looked on longingly. Gai nuzzled him in comfort.

"And everyone sleeping at night would be nice, too." It would mean less havoc that Madara had to wake up to.

All six cats stopped and looked at him. Naruto meowed in protest.

...Maybe he was pushing it. Even he didn't sleep at night, sometimes.

Madara took a moment to think about the fact that he had six cats. Six. Cats. He looked at his trashed living room. Well, actually it was fairly clean, with only minimal damage and a faint feline-shaped imprint from one of Sakura's moments.

There was really so much he could do about his home. 

Madara sighed.

* * *

 

Madara couldn't believe he was doing this, but here he was, buying that green outfit Kakashi had been meowing over forever. He hoped the ninneko was happy. Hashirama's laughter wasn't helping, nor were his 'I told you so's.

The Senju had dragged him out of his house and honestly he appreciated it. He liked spending time with his friend. (He liked a lot more than that, but that was besides the point.) What he didn't appreciate was that smug look on Hashirama's face.

After he had bought the cat jacket, the two continued their trek through the village and eventually they found themselves on one of the wooden benches in the streets that Hashirama had made.

"It's nice," the Senju told him, "to see it all up close, right?"

It was, but it was a little hard to focus on that at the moment.

Hashirama had leaned over, resting his head on Madara's shoulder, dark hair splaying out. He was close enough that Madara could hear his breaths, long and relaxed. Hashirama's chakra was all over, Madara could feel it, alive and real and warm but it was so kind, rather than oppressive, and it lightened the air and warmed his senses.

Like this, it was easy to watch his friend's face, calmly gazing at the streets and roads and busy merchants and laughing children. He looked so content and happy and Madara just wanted to give him more. Then Hashirama's eyes trailed over to look into his own, a little tired (because as much as Hashirama like to whine, he was still Hokage and did his fair share of paperwork) but they were filled with such pride and wonder as he looked back over to the buildings and stalls and people that Madara felt warmth all over. 

He didn't want to leave. He closed his eyes to relax, to feel the village around them, too.

And then a droplet fell onto to his nose. Madara looked up.

Rain. It was beginning to rain, cold little droplets falling from the sky. If there was one thing Madara hated during this season more than the snow, it was the rain. It was always far colder than it should've been, soaked his hair, and left him freezing. And for it to rain now of all times...

Hashirama sneezed. (He knew it! If Madara could get sick, Hashirama could as well.)

"What was that you said about not being able to get sick?" Madara teased. 

"These things happen, okay?" A storm cloud appeared over Hashirama's head.

Madara snorted, brushing his thumb over his friend's hand. Hashirama could be so dramatic at times.

But then, this man was still his best friend. He was also the one who ended up making their dream come true. He was far stronger than any other opponent Madara had ever faced. He was his equal. He was special, and when Madara looked into those dark eyes, bright with hope, with fire and promise and strength, Madara felt that much lighter, that much more tightness in his chest and that much more warmth. He wanted this.

He really wanted this.

Hashirama was just so perfect at that moment. To say otherwise would be a lie. They were so close, and Madara just wanted to be like that forever, with Hashirama beside him and his head on his shoulder, where it just felt right, like Madara was home.

Could he tell him now, when Hashirama was here. Just ask him to stay there a little longer? Even soaked in the rain, he felt like there were butterflies in his stomach and Madara wanted to just tilt his head around and maybe, maybe, maybe-

His heart sped up and Madara found himself feeling like a teenager again, off balance and nerves swirling in his chest as a warm hand ran through his hair.

"We should get going." Hashirama said.

Rain continued to pour from the sky, soaking everything in the streets. Villagers and shinobi moved for cover, eventually emptying the roads and leaving them full of white noise, raindrops hitting the ground softly.

"Yeah."

Neither of them moved, and Madara felt his head spin all over again. 

* * *

 

Madara hated the rain, and Hashirama didn't want to get wet, either. He wished their day together could have lasted a bit longer. That it would rain another day. Or that they could stay out regardless.

They sat together for a while longer. Hashirama didn't really want to get up, (Madara's presence was always so warm, it reminded him of dreams, with how unreal it was) but the rain was going to get heavier the longer they sat there and the last thing he wanted was for his friend to get sick.

They eventually did have to get up, once thunder faintly roared and Madara muttered something about Kakashi and loud sounds.

He stood there for a while longer in the empty street, even after Madara had left, disappearing into the village before the rain got too bad. He thought about Madara's comfortable presence, about how right it had felt to hold his hand. About how nice the color red looked on his cheeks. About how wonderful his friend's happiness was and Hashirama wondered why he hadn't invited Madara to come back to his house, to stay the night with him. Tobirama would probably stay out with Mito again, and so it could just be them...

His eyes darted to the ground in sudden nerves, and he looked at the small little wildflowers that were beginning to sprout, raindrops collecting on each of the delicate petals.

He wondered what this feeling meant.

* * *

 

Madara came home soaked and wet. The cats came to investigate and wandered off once they saw that he was soaked. Only Sakura had lingered, and he leaned down and picked up the grey ninneko.

He hugged Sakura close and buried his face in her soft fur. She meowed confusedly.

The pitter patter of rain against the window only further reminded the Uchiha of earlier.

He wished he had played more attention to how the other Uchiha courted. He just... never had interest, and thought he never would. But now, he could understand why he heard so many of his clansmen talking about nerves, why he saw an Uchiha boy practicing lines to his reflection, why his brothers would freak out over crushes. He really wish he had paid attention, because he had no idea how to handle something like this.

He rubbed his face further against the grey kitten until a high pitched meow sounded and he received a small paw to the face and she hopped out of his hands. The kitten shook herself, as if Madara was dirty, and then waltzed away with her head held high. Lee looked after her again like she was a goddess, and rested a paw on Madara's leg comfortingly.

Lee, as Madara had quickly come to learn, had a huge crush on Sakura. The bushy kitten groomed her, stared after her whenever she went by, and just generally stood at attention when she was near. Sakura ignored the kitten's advances, preferring Sasuke's company and cuddling up to him. Lee's eyes didn't seem to give up though, as he would always join the duo's cuddle pile until Naruto jumped in on it as well.

He suddenly felt a surge of respect for the black kitten. Lee had the guts to go for it, not giving up after each rejection.

The kitten purred under Madara's scratches and Madara relaxed, too.

* * *

 

At night, Madara couldn't sleep and he found it hard to try. He laid in bed for a while and noticed eyes on him. He turned and saw that it was Gai, the black cat's tail swaying playfully. Had the cat slept at all? He meowed earth shatteringly loud, and Madara jumped, looking towards the kittens to see if they woke up too. That would be a disaster to calm down.

Naruto only twiched. Madara sighed in relief.

Gai would wake up the kittens if he stayed there any longer, so Madara got up and took Gai to the main room.

Gai instantly tottered over to the back door and pawed at it, obviously wanting to go out. Madara peered out the window. It was still dark out, enough so that the black cat could be masked by the shadows of the night, and the rain had stopped. He looked back at Gai. The cat meowed rather loudly again. 

Madara opened the door for him, but a gust of cold wind made his brow furrow. While it wasn't snowing, nor was it raining, it was still fairly chilly out. He picked up the bushy cat before Gai could run off and put him in the blue coat that Kakashi didn't want. Gai bushed up even further at the outfit and let out a discontent meow. (What was with these cats and not wanting to look like the Uchiha they were?!)

Madara sighed. 

"I'll get you a different one later, Gai," he whispered as to not wake the kittens. Naruto would go crazy and Sakura would wreck the house if she was woken up this early. 

Gai stepped outside, but the feline didn't move, looking at Madara with something he couldn't decipher. 

Didn't he want to go out? Gai meowed again and turned around, giving Madara a look.

Did he want Madara to follow? He stepped outside, and Gai began to walk, stopping and looking back at him happily.

So he wanted company. Madara could do that.

He felt an eye on him.

"Kakashi, you're in charge."

The silver cat slowly slinked back into the bedroom to return to the kittens. Madara hadn't even heard the ninneko get up, only feeling that lightning chakra move, but he was somewhat proud of the feline for his stealth.

Madara left the house with Gai and the walk eventually turned into a casual run.

They jogged through the streets of Konoha, taking in the sights of the village in the night. They passed the Senju area as well as the Inuzuka, the Yamanaka before turning and passing the Sarutobi, Nara, and Shimura. There were many more clans than Madara recalled there being, each with many, many members whose chakra Madara could feel just beyond each house.

The whole run took longer than he thought it would. The village was much larger than the small handful it started out with. He thought about what that meant.

The streets were still dark, only illuminated by the few lanterns around, as silence filled the air, but it was... relaxing. Gai's little tottle by his feet made him want to pick up the cat several times, but the black fuzzball would meow ridiculously loud to tell Madara not to. He gave up after he felt eyes of a shinobi guard on him and the cat.

By the time he and Gai came back to the Uchiha compound, the sun had begun to rise, leaving the sky several shades of blue.

He hadn't broken a sweat, and neither had Gai, but the cat seemed less likely to break Madara's stuff with his extra energy spent. Maybe... They could do this again. He looked down at Gai, and those big eyes sparkled.

Gai was content with the run and... Madara was, too.

(The following night, Gai pawed at the door again, and Madara silently got up with a coat in hand.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to user diana_of_hufflepuff for the idea of a Gai cat!! I've been sitting on this for a while but had a weird time writing it in, hope it came out well! (I feel bad for waiting so long to do it Q.Q) I love Gai and Lee, they're one of my fave duos... but I don't know how to write either of them XD I hope I did them justice :0  
> Anyways, thanks again for commenting last chapter, always nice to hear feedback and ideas, because I do look at them and try to use them when I can! Ideas, comments, feedback, tips, suggestions and the like are always welcome! ♥♥♥


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gai's a cool cat, and Mito's a cool girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maa... So you see, I'm a little late because I ran into an old lady and had to help her across the street. ...A very, very long street. (Lmao but no, thanks for commenting and I'm sorry about my irregular AF updates. I don't know what I'm doing, but I'll heckin try... Help ;-;)

Tobirama woke up earlier than usual one morning. The sky was still dark, but it was slowly changing colors, brightening up as stars faded out of view. Tobirama liked quiet mornings like this, and as he left his bedroom, the faint snores of his brother sounding from the other room, Tobirama felt light. (It might have been because his marriage to Mito was soon, too. It excited him and filled him with nerves all the same, but Mito was able to pull enough strings that it wouldn't be an extremely extravagant event, despite their positions in their clans. He was eternally grateful for that, she really was a gift.)

As he prepared his usual morning tea, he heard faint tapping, like little footsteps. Tobirama turned and saw a dark, distinctly feline-shaped shadow at the back sliding door. It was probably Obito, he could instantly tell. He just grabbed another small cup for water and went over to the door.

Obito was silent, but his bobbed tail twiched when he saw Tobirama. He greeted the cat, as he had learned to do especially since Obito's greetings were so rare, and he sat down beside the black and white feline, taking in the crisp winter air. The sheer cold felt nice against his skin, unlike his brother who liked the humidity and flowers of the spring.

He wondered what Mito liked the best. Maybe spring as well, as she was always so lively.

He set down the water cup for Obito to lap at while he himself took a sip of tea.

This was always a nice start to a day, and Tobirama always felt more ready to take on the paperwork that awaited him and his brother after a start like this.

Obito stilled, and soon afterwards Tobirama took notice of two signatures slowly approaching. There was a muffled curse by a familiar voice, and Tobirama wondered what the Uchiha was doing up at his hour, or near their house in the first place. The Uchiha were notorious for sleeping in. (It was one of the reasons that most, if not all meetings that required their attendance were in the afternoon.)

A shadow darted from around the building and Madara followed shortly after, chasing said shadow.

"Gai! Where are you- oh."

Obito stood up, his tail puffing up as his multicolored eyed narrowed at the shadow. The dark figure stopped right in front of the feline, only to reveal another cat with really bushy black fur wearing a blue coat and an orange scarf. 

...It might've been the Mito in his head talking, but that coat did not fit that cat. And the Uchiha crest, too? No... Maybe green would be better.

Mito had explained that two cats had been summoned from out of nowhere. Knowing the Uchiha, this was one of them, and of course Madara had taken it in.

The cat, Gai, wasted no time hopping onto Obito regardless of the long, drawn out warning meows sent his way, and grooming the black and white feline down until Obito accepted his fate with his eyes in slits.

Madara stared at the scene and sighed. Tobirama felt for him.

"Do you want some tea?" he offered.

Madara looked at the two cuddling cats. Then his visible eye met Tobirama's red ones and he gave a faint nod of the head.

When Tobirama came back, he handed a cup over to the Uchiha who held it close to himself, looking down into the hot drink with a softness in his eyes Tobirama didn't usually see.

They drank in silence, watching the cats cuddle amd wrestle around while the sun slowly making its way up into the brightening sky.

(After it emptied, Tobirama went back inside to grab another cup, and came back to Madara asleep with a pair of cats snuggling next to him. He set the tea down next to the Uchiha and went back inside to fetch a blanket.

He didn't notice Gai's thoughtful stare into his back.)

* * *

 

Mito shook her head in denial as they walked aimlessly through the village streets.

"I'm telling you, Madara, Naruto is an Uzumaki!"

"And I'm telling you he's an Uchiha!" Madara glared right back at her.

"Just think about it! Naruto Uzumaki, believe it!" She stopped and lifted the tabby as if that proved her point. Naruto blinked and then stared at Madara, tail swishing.

Madara sighed and crossed his arms across his chest.

"He's Naruto Uchiha. He's my cat, not yours."

"Well, yes, he's yours, but it just doesn't sound right..." the redhead defended.

"What do you think, Naruto?" Madara asked the tabby. 

The orange kitten tilted his head and meowed.

 _Betrayal_.

"See?" Mito laughed, "I knew it!"

Madara grumbled as Naruto hopped over and brushed against him in comfort.

"And what about you, Sasuke?"

The black kitten rolled over onto his back and closes his eyes happily. Madara celebrated internally.

Sasuke Uchiha. He was glad at least one of his cats had common sense.

"And Sakura? What about you, girl?" Mito probed the grey kitten.

Sakura looked away, a universal sign of not wanting to be involved. It was probably for the best.

She would always be Sakura Uchiha to Madara, anyways.

"So, there was a frozen lake I saw that civilians were using," Mito explained as she began steering them towards the gates of the village. "They called it ice skating. Wanna go with me?" Her eyes pleaded, and Madara had to look away. They held some kind of genjutsu, he was sure of it, because he could never say no to that face.

"Fine."

Mito's face instantly brightened, as if she were the sun and Madara's eyes narrowed as her face twisted into a foxy grin. He knew that look from Naruto, the destructive kitten with a pranking streak. Maybe she was right that the tabby was an Uzumaki, if this feeling of imminent doom was what that meant.

He wondered what she was planning.

* * *

 

He found out what she was planning. And quickly.

As they approached the frozen lake, Hashirama and Tobirama were there already along with civilians and shinobi alike gliding along the ice. The Senju seemed to be expecting them as they both instantly turned to look at them. It was that, or the fact that Mito's hair was literally a target in the snow. Hashirama waved and Tobirama slowed down, watching them.

The redhead handed him a pair of skates (how did she know his size?) and nudged (more like shoved) Madara towards the Hokage and whispered a "Good luck" before she flew off to meet with fiancé on the ice.

He was going to kill her later, princess or not.

"Madara, look, look!" Mito called out to him, "I'm going backwards."

They were shinobi, she could easily do that without thinking. Madara shook his head followed by a sneeze. That was when Hashirama reached him with a worried look.

"You want to head in? I'll come with you." He set a tan hand on his shoulder that Madara couldn't help but focus on.

Hashirama knew Madara didn't like the cold. It made him warm inside that he stopped to consider him, even though he was clearly enjoying his time on the ice.

"I'll head in later. The cats like it." He pointed over to the felines in question.

Sakura put a careful paw on the ice, and when it began to slip, she added her flowing chakra to it almost instinctually, stabilizing her paw. The grey kitten settled fully onto the patch of ice and her green eyes looked back at the rest of the cats, triumphant.

Surprisingly, it was Kakashi that took it as a challenge and waltzed onto the ice as well, using chakra to balance himself, Gai following close as to not be left behind. The two cats seemed to share some kind of conversation with their eyes, because a moment later, Kakashi and Gai were racing along the lake in a blur of silver and black.

Sakura watched on exasperatedly, and Lee cheered them on from his spot beside her, meowing loud enough to turn some heads whenever Gai took the lead. While Madara learned the kitten couldn't perform jutsu, it didn't stop the bushy feline from using chakra entirely, as the feline used his chakra to carefully glide over the ice. (Although, it was still concerning that the kitten was unable to use ninjustu or genjutsu. He once again hoped the kitten was naturally like that and that the summoning didn't cause that to happen.)

Sasuke looked a little uncomfortable with the ice, so he settled back in a patch of snow and Naruto groomed the black kitten instead, the two watching the ice together.

Hshirama turned around to look back at him.

"Then, skate with me?" the Hokage said hopefully along with a squeeze to his shoulder, and Madara swore he must've known the genjustu too because Madara didn't want to look away.

He felt his cheeks redden from what was definitely not the cold, but he kind of wanted to enjoy this with Hashirama, to give him something he have fun with, too.

"Okay."

* * *

 

In all of his time as a soldier, as a shinobi, Tobirama had never been so caught off guard. Even when Madara was somewhat cordial to him for the first time.

Tobirama tripped. 

And fell, couldn't forget that.

Other skaters had to maneuver around him, and Mito stopped in front of him, giggling as she offered a hand that he accepted to get back up.

"Just... look at them next time. You'll see."

The Senju didn't know if he wanted to see.

His brother and Madara?

He looked at the two dots in the distance, sensing his brother's warm, encompassing chakra and Madara's fiery hot one almost dancing along the ice. He wasn't certain that Mito's idea was right, but considered the off chance that she was.

If it made his Anija happy... If this was what he truly wanted...

He thought of Madara's more frequent smiles that he was able to occasionally catch, of the soft expression he wore that morning, of the man's strength that could easily keep Hashirama safe.

...Tobirama had no objections.

A small silver blur sped by his feet. Black followed not long after, leaving a cloud of snow and frost, and Tobirama blinked.

He turned to Mito.

"Want to go faster?"

The Uzumaki's eyes sparkled, and Tobirama felt accomplished.

"Oh, hell yes!"

They sped through the ice, fingers laced through each other's as he listened to Mito chatter.

* * *

 

They circled around the lake, feeling the cool wind against their faces, taking in the sights of unbalanced civilians and the few curious shinobi, and Madara closed his eyes, listening to his friend talk, his voice clear beside him. 

Hashirama took his hand in his, and each time his thumb rubbed over the back of his palm, it felt like ticklish little sparks trailing through his hand.

Then two signatures raced past them and Madara opened his eyes.

It seemed Kakashi had won this challenge. The silver ninneko flopped over disinterestedly and Gai meowed in frustration, his bushy tail swishing back and forth.

Hashirama laughed at the duo's antics when he spotted them.

Naruto was looking chilly, and Sasuke looked ready to fall asleep. Madara would have to take them in.

They glided over to the patch of snow and took off the sharpened shoes beside one another. He saw Tobirama slowly coming towards them with Mito, who chatted animatedly about something or another.

"We should do this again, sometime," Hashirama suggested, his dark eyes brighter than the snow around them.

(He questioned if the red on Hashirama's tanned cheeks were due to the cold or because of him.

...He kind of wished it was him, but he knew better than to ask.)

He scooped up the tabby and the black kitten, calling the other cats to him with a flash of chakra before he turned to look into those dark eyes.

"Yeah. I'd like that, too."

* * *

 

Red eyes darted at him and quickly away.

"How was it, Anija?"

Hashirama thought about earlier as the snow crouched under their feet.

Madara's dark hair and outfit stood out among the white of the snow and ice. As they skated, his hair flowed behind him and it made him look untouchable that it filled Hashirama with a comfortable warmth being by his side. And the silence that eventually fell between them was so comfortable that he kind of wished they'd skated for a bit longer. But Naruto and Sasuke's comfort was more important, and it was going to be dark soon, as well.

Madara was always attentive if his cats, not to mention protective.  It made him happy, that Madara had precious people, the ones the village was made to protect. The Senju thought about his time with the Uchiha, and how their hands felt electric together.

It brought a smile to his lips.

"It was fun," he finally said, watching the sky darken.

He realized he was standing several feet behind Tobirama, who was waiting for him with a quirked eyebrow and an impatient tap of his foot.

His thoughts must've drifted again. He ran up to catch up with his younger brother.

Tobirama gave him curious looks as they continued home, but his mind was somewhere else again.

* * *

 

"Boooring. You should have gone for it."

Mito cuddled Gai in her lap. The cat seemed happy with it, cuddling right back and purring loudly.

"Well you shouldn't have sprung that on me," he argued.

Though, it was nice to hang out with Hashirama. Not that he'd tell her that. If he did, Mito would never stop setting him up.

"Your face was priceless," she laughed, pulling Madara down to sit beside her on his veranda. She was just as touchy as Hashirama, sometimes.

She paused for a moment and looked at the sky. Madara glanced up. It was dark out, and the air was getting chilly. It might even snow again in the night if this kept up. Madara shivered. The cold was the worst.

"You know, Madara, I love it here, it's nice, but," Mito yawned, stretching her arms out above her for a moment, "I miss my clan."

There were certainly redheads present in the village with the princess's arrival, but not many Uzumaki had come to the village.

"You're more Uzumaki than you might think," she murmured, shuffling closer into his side.

"Is that what I am to you? A replacement?" he ground out.

"No. You're family," she said, and her dark eyes met his own. When she seemed satisfied, she broke their stare down and laid her head in his lap. He automatically ran a hand through her hair, used to his cats demanding the same thing.

"Like a brother. An Aniki," she murmured before she fell asleep under his ministrations.

Madara stilled.

Did it just slip out? Did Mito really see him as family? A brother? God, they were close, but...

His heart ached.

The last time Madara heard those words, he still had his brothers left. He pictured Izuna, dark eyes warm and kind and he missed him dearly. He missed all of them dearly.

Naruto butted his little orange head against the Uzumaki, curling into her arms beside Gai, who began to groom the tabby.

Mito snored, loud and obnoxious. He was thankful that she ended their conversation where it did, that she succumbed to her fatigue when she did. Otherwise, she might have seen him tremble, only slightly.

Madara thought for a long time that night.

(He'd never had a sister before. She was in no way an Uchiha, and he was nothing like an Uzumaki. But maybe they could still be this for each other.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: When skating on a lake, make sure the ice is thick enough before skating >.<
> 
> Aiiieeee, as you can see I can't draw atm!! :0 It happens sometimes, I drew chibis instead so it's not as bad.  
> Hope you liked it >.< I wrote that last part a while ago and I was debating keeping it or not, but ya know, I liked it sooo... (It actually made me want to write an entirely different story, so I might do that. Madara-Mito friendship gives me liiiife)  
> I know... It's late. Q.Q I'm sorry. I'll try harder.  
> Comments, feedback, ideas, suggestions, and stuff are always welcome!!♥♥♥  
> Also, I recently bought the Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm trilogy and it's really, really good. It sums up the majority of Naruto and it looks amazing :0 I can't believe these games are from 2008 like wtf! Just beat the first one, gonna go 100% it now 0.0 (who knows, maybe that's why I was gone for so long... Q.Q)


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Washing just one of these cats is a furry nightmare. Sasuke runs and Mito isn't sneaky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a thought: I should update. So... here's an update!! >.< (sorry)
> 
> Thank you all for your rockin comments! Means the world to me and I really, really can't tell you just how nice it is >w< hopefully I can get back into the groove of things.

Madara watched as his cats ran around the yard behind his house.

It was a warmer day, for the winter. The sun was up high in the sky and there were few clouds, so it wasn't going to snow. Still, Madara put them all in their little coats just in case the chilling winds returned. (He had to make a run to the store to get another coats earlier, since he was short by one. He got Gai that green coat he'd wanted, and gave Lee the blue one with the Uchiha crest. The bushy kitten had only meowed happily at his gift instead of complaining, and Madara was grateful for that. However, Gai looked at Lee's coat and back at Madara, judging.

These cats...)

Kakashi laid relaxed in the sunlight, soaking in as much warmth as he could. Gai was tumbling around the field, not playing with Kakashi for once, and instead spending quality time with Lee, who was trying and barely keeping pace with the scarved cat.

(If Lee got too tired, he'd take the kitten in. Lee was fast, yes, and he was getting there with the taijutsu Madara attempted to teach him, but there was just something about his inability to use any ninjutsu or genjutsu that made him want to bundle up the little furball and keep him warm and safe. Then again, he wanted to do that with all of his cats. It just felt stronger with Lee.)

Sakura sat on the veranda beside Madara, watching Naruto and Sasuke as they wrestled around on the ground. He scratched around her ears, just the way she liked it.

Sasuke pushed Naruto right into the dirt, darting away quickly afterwards. Naruto meowed in frustration at his loss, and Madara watched as that dirty little tabby walked back towards the house.

Naruto was covered in dirt from head to paw, his usual bright orange coat a dusty brown. Even with his little blue coat on...

Madara wrinkled his nose. No self respecting Uchiha would let themselves walk around like that. Not on his watch.

He bent over and picked up the kitten before he could shunshin away (Naruto was getting too good at that) and brought him into the house.

Naruto seemed to register what was happening almpst instantly because he meowed loudly as he was brought to the bathroom, where Madara pulled out shampoo and ran some water. The tabby's blue eyes widened at the sight of water and he attempted to scramble away in Madara's grasp, and the Uchiha struggled to keep hold of the kitten. When Naruto realized Madara wasn't letting go, he gave whiny little meows in protest, flaring his windy chakra everywhere.

Instantly, Kakashi was in the room, tail puffed up and his one eye narrowed. Then he looked up and saw the water, looked over at Naruto who Madara was washing down, and went right back to disinterested, waltzing away. The other cats came in soon after. Sasuke gave a triumphant meow at the sight of Naruto, to which Naruto only meowed louder, and Sakura seemed to roll her eyes.

He washed over the kitten until the dirt and soap was out of his fur, and Naruto gave in, giving Madara big blaming eyes that said 'Why, nyattebayo?'

"You're dirty, Naruto," he explained.

He felt stabbed by the guilt of those big eyes, but regardless, he finished the job, drying Naruto the best he could with towels before the ninneko was free to leave.

Naruto shook himself dry the best he could before darting under the sofa, glowering at Sasuke from his little shelter. The black kitten groomed himself mockingly, and Madara shook his head.

Those blue eyes promised vengeance, and he knew it.

* * *

 

Said vengeance took place very soon after.

"Sasuke?" Madara had to double take.

Sasuke meowed in affirmation.

Sasuke came inside with not dirt, but multicolored bright paint in his fur. The black kitten grumpily sat down and glared at Naruto, who gave him a foxy look in return.

Of course Naruto got his revenge, and in such a playful way, too. As cute as it made Sasuke look, Madara knew he had to take care of it because this wasn't something Sasuke would be able to clean.

Madara made for the kitten, but Sasuke was fast, and he leapt away in a shunshin. The Uchiha looked over at the orange ninneko.

"Naruto, did you really have to?" he groaned, wiping a hand down his face.

The tabby gave an overly innocent meow.

"Fine, okay. Just stay here," he ordered.

When Sasuke wanted to hide, he would _hide_. And Sasuke was fast. Not quite as fast as little Lee, who was happy just running around the house alongside Gai, but Sasuke was fast, nonetheless.

Sakura seemed to have a soft spot for the black kitten, because she was gone, too. No doubt she was helping him get away at this very moment.

"Kakashi, don't let Naruto do anything funny." 

The silver ninneko stretched before curling back up again. 

Madara cracked his knuckles.

He had a ninneko to wash.

* * *

 

Hashirama chatted away as the two brothers went out to get lunch. The village streets were less crowded, the afternoon sun covered by very few clouds, and the air was cold but not freezing. Tobirama liked times like these the best because the office wasn't too busy, paperwork wasn't rampant, and he could just relax with his brother-

A blur of black sped past them, followed by a distinctly Madara-shaped figure.

"Sasuke, you come back here! I-" and he was off, chasing after the ninneko past civilians and shinobi alike.

Tobirama let it sink in.

Madara had been partially singed, partially doused, and had quite a few scratch marks on his clothes. He felt the fiery signature of the Uchiha grow distant and the villagers who'd stopped to stare slowly resumed their activities.

...Best to not be involved. He continued through the streets, pulling his brother along.

"He's always up to something, now. Isn't he?" Hashirama said with a fond little smile on his face, still staring off in the direction Madara ran off to.

The cats did certainly keep the Uchiha out of serious trouble. And the thing was, Madara didn't seem to realize it himself. His eyes softened whenever he looked at one of the cats, even Obito, which Tobirama knew wasn't his. If only they didn't cause a storm of paperwork every time they did anything.

"That's one way of putting it," Tobirama replied.

"I'm glad," Hashirama said, and Tobirama felt his brother's chakra warm slightly.

They continued down the street towards their usual lunch stop, taking in the passers by.

...Until Madara came back, stopping right in front of Tobirama as if he wasn't just chasing his cat across Konoha. (That would actually be a great D rank mission, now that he thought about it.)

"You know Sasuke's chakra signature." Madara said. It wasn't a question.

"Yes-"

"He's running away from his bath."

Tobirama wondered how this man could have such a fearsome reputation when he was here, covered in soap suds, scratches and cat fur.

"Of course we'll help!" Hashirama chimed in, setting a hand on Tobirama's shoulder to volunteer him.

"Anija!" He turned around to look at his brother.

"Please?" Hashirama gave him puppy dog eyes. He could just feel the rainclouds ready to storm above the Hokage's head.

Tobirama sighed in resignation.

So much for lunch.

Hashirama cheered and took ahold of Madara's hand. Tobirama couldn't help but notice the slight spike in Madara's already fiery chakra. Mito's words echoed in his head Tobirama wondered if she was really onto something there.

The three of them darted off towards Sasuke's tingling little chakra signature before he could focus on those thoughts.

* * *

 

Mito held out a little treat to Sasuke.

"Here you go, you little cutie!" she cooed to the cat.

The black kitten sniffed around her hand curiously, before grabbing the treat and gobbling it down. Mito pet him while he enjoyed the treat, and Sasuke began to purr.

The black kitten- well, actually, he was a whole lot of other bright, non-Sasuke colors. The main reason she recognized him was the Uchiha coat Madara got for the little guy. He was covered in some kind of paint, and she could just smell a prank written all over it.

Mito giggled, and Sasuke gave her a half hearted glare. If she squinted, and turned her perspective, he looked kind of like Madara when he'd fuss at her. Neither of them were very scary. She scratched behind his painted ear and that glare melted away instantly, just like his cat dad.

"Don't let him get away!" a voice called out.

Let who get away?

Suddenly, Sasuke tensed, and the kitten ran off before Madara replaced where Sasuke once was, and Tobirama and Hashirama came in quickly after.

"We almost had him!" Hashirama said.

Madara grumbled something and her Tobi just looked tired. Her poor fiancé was probably dragged into this one, knowing him. She's get the story out of him later, and maybe she could cuddle him while she was at it. While Tobi wasn't much of a portable heater, he was always such a sweetheart once they were alone together. He'd get this cute little blush that matched his face tattoos that made Mito want to kiss him and because he was so relaxed she could and he wouldn't get all flustered about it and Mito liked that a lot-

"Uzumaki, you should've just grabbed him," Madara said.

Mito blinked.

She took in the soap on the Uchiha's person, thought about why a paint-covered Sasuke was running away from his loving cat dad, and came to a conclusion quickly.

"You're trying to give him a bath?"

Madara face quickly went into that shocked confusion thing again.

"How?"

Aaaand she was right. She couldn't help the grin that stretched on her face.

"It's written all over you. Now let's go, we have a kitty to catch!" she clapped her hands together.

Madara looked towards where Sasuke ran off to, in between crowds and he was probably worrying about the kitten getting stepped on more than the paint covering said cat. He had that semi-worried look again.

Madara was too cute, sometimes. (Not as cute as Tobirama, but it was a close call.)

* * *

 

"We'll split into two teams, Tobi and me, and Hashirama and you."

Madara glared at Mito.

"One sensor on each team," the redhead explained, but Madara knew her better than that.

She kept doing...  _this_.

He took a glance at Hashirama out of the corner of his eye and watched the Senju beam right back at him. That smile was so bright, and it was all directed at him... His stomach knotted up, and he looked away before Hashirama could see his cheeks turn red.

He looked back at Mito instead, and that seemingly innocent grin turned a touch devious for a moment.

Madara glared harder. This was about Sasuke. As long as he kept his mind on the painted ninneko, and not his best friend whose warm, tan hand was still in his cool, pale one, he wouldn't combust.

(It wasn't hard to be alone with Hashirama. It was easy, really. It was easy and warm and bright and made his insides all fuzzy.)

"Let's do our best, Madara." Hashirama grinned.

(It was always so easy with Hashirama.)

"Yeah. Okay."

They scattered in their teams to cover more ground, and Madara took to the rooftops with the Senju.

(Mito turned around to face Tobirama.

"Let's grab some lunch, Tobi."

"But what about Anija? And Madara?"

"They'll be fine without us." She took his hand in hers and swung them lightly, "You were grabbing lunch, right? I heard about this great soba place..." she continued, leading him down the village streets.)

* * *

 

They'd cornered Sasuke in a small training field. The painted kitten looked over at them warily, his tail swishing, before of a sudden, Sakura replaced the kitten in a puff of smoke.

Substitution.

"Sakura, you should know better!" Madara scolded the kitten with his arms crossing in disapproval.

Sakura rolled onto her back with big emerald eyes and Hashirama watched as Madara slumped over in defeat.

"Come here, you."

He went over and scooped up the grey kitten, who meowed but didn't protest. His visible eye softened as he held the kitten close to himself, petting along her for just a moment as he said something else to Sakura, who meowed in a mix with a purr.

Hashirama let himself smile.

He liked that Madara was comfortable enough to talk to his cats in front of him. It meant a lot because it meant Madara trusted him with moments like these. It meant that Madara didn't mind Hashirama seeing him like this, a little softer, a little warmer. And it meant that Madara saw him as safe, which actually meant a lot considering he was known as the all-powerful god of shinobi. His chest got all warm inside.

"Here, hold her." And he passed Sakura into Hashirama's arms. Sakura curled into his chest and Hashirama felt even warmer.

(It might've been his imagination, but after Madara briefly cuddled the kitten, some of his scratches were gone.)

"...And where the heck are Mito and Tobirama!?" the Uchiha eventualky asked, and then he paused for a moment. "They ditched. Of course they ditched."

Madara must've sensed them. Oh, well. At least his little brother could get some lunch.

(Tobirama sneezed yet again.

"If you're catching a cold, want to head to my place? I've got soup!" Mito chimed in, running a hand over his arm.

"That sounds lovely, Mito.")

Madara groaned.

"Don't worry, Madara, I've got your back!" he assured his friend.

Madara held his gaze for a bit before he sharply turned away.

"Yeah. Let's keep going."

* * *

 

Sasuke sent a small fire ball their way, and Hashirama smiled to himself because of course Madara would teach them the signature Uchiha fireball. On top of that, Sasuke wore a little Uchiha coat and coupled with that glare, he looked like a little Uchiha clansmen in cat form.

Both of them dodged it easily, but Sasuke sent a beam of water at them that Madara didn't quite avoid.

(Tobirama looked into the distance where a faint meow followed by cursing was heard.

"Should we...?"

"Nah, they have it covered." Mito brushed off as she hugged herself closer to him.)

A dripping wet Madara pounced on the kitten, and Sasuke danced away yet again. These cats were almost as fast as Tobirama, honestly. But that was a good thing, because it meant that Madara's precious people (well, cats) could avoid danger, that they'd stay safe and Madara wouldn't have to worry about them ever getting hurt.

"Sasuke!" Madara called after the kitten.

Sasuke ignored his calls, trotting away.

They'd catch Sasuke. Eventually.

* * *

 

Sasuke looked unhappy, but not as displeased as Madara thought he'd be.

By the time they'd caught the black kitten, resorting to the use of clones and a lot of traps, the sun was beginning to set. As the sky was slowly darkening, the cold began to set in, too.

Sasuke blinked.

"I know, Sasuke, but you're filthy," he argued.

The ninneko meowed unhappily, tail flicking in annoyance.

"Yes, it was Naruto's fault, but you started it, mister."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"If I give you a treat, you'll call it even?"

Sasuke's ears twitched and his little tail swished happily. That was a yes. Finally.

He took himself in and saw that he was partially singed from the fireballs the kitten sent out, and doused from that water jet. That wasn't even mentioning the hairball attacks and the ninneko's stealth at avoiding them. Oddly enough, instead of feeling drained, or anger, Madara felt pride that Sasuke had gotten so fast and so strong. He brought the kitten's face to his own.

"You're definitely an Uchiha," he murmured to Sasuke, who began to purr proudly.

"He sure gave us a run for our money, huh?" Hashirama gave a hearty laugh as he set a hand on his shoulder, the other arm holding Sakura, who was half asleep in his arms. Madara looked over at his friend.

Hashirama didn't really have to really join him on his chase around the village. Even with Mito and Tobirama ditching, (that damn Uzumaki) he kept going, getting himself subjected to paws of fire and fur and a ton of other things. And he was pretty sure they skipped lunch, and Hashirama always loved a good meal, yet here he was, singed and wet and covered in fur, with a warm hand on Madara's shoulder and laughing in the cold.

Hashirama helped him because he wanted to, because that was just how he was, and it made Madara all warm inside again. 

"Thank you, Hashirama," he said softly as Sasuke pawed at his hair.

"Any time!" Hashirama beamed like the sun, brighter, even, and Madara felt frozen for a moment. He knew Hashirama didn't read into his words (the man was so oblivious it was a wonder anything got done in this village), but Madara felt his heart pound regardless, and he squeezed Sasuke closer to himself. 

(As he brought the two little troublemakers home, Sasuke looked over at Sakura in exasperation, and she meowed back at him softly, as if they knew something. Madara didn't focus on it too much, more concerned with bathing Sasuke before the ninneko changed his mind about their deal.

...He couldn't believe he made a deal with his own cat.)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mito, you aren't sneaky ;-;  
> I literally spent this entire month sitting down and doing absolutely nothing. Q.Q  
> But on the bright side, I just started Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 3! Looks even better than the first two :0  
> So yeah, thanks for reading and sticking with my slow AF updates!! It means a lot! Comments, feedback, ideas and stuff are always appreciated! ♥♥♥


End file.
